First up, Happy Birthday to our first lady, who turns 55 on Saturday. The White House shared some “favorite photos” of Mrs. Trump on social media today, many of which are from the last few months.
Happy Birthday to the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/xCowalcBW3
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 26, 2025
The first lady spent her special day in a unique way that was probably more meaningful to her than most people realize. On Friday, she accompanied her husband to Italy for Pope Francis’ funeral. From the outside looking in, it was a generic first lady duty, attending an important world event at her husband’s side. But what many people may not know is that Mrs. Trump has been Roman Catholic since her childhood, and her faith plays a very important role in her life. After Jacqueline Kennedy, she’s only the second Catholic first lady in United States history.
A powerful image of the US 🇺🇸 First Lady Melania Trump, on her 55th birthday, finding herself in Rome, in St. Peter’s Square, at the funeral of Pope Francis, with a cross around her neck and a black veil on her head pic.twitter.com/2Rtm7kAAAu
— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) April 26, 2025
Mrs. Trump had the honor of meeting Pope Francis in 2017 during her husband’s first term. At that time, she reportedly had him bless a set of rosary beads for her, and later, she visited a pediatric hospital in Vatican City after personally handwriting a letter to the pope, asking if it was okay. She laid flowers at the feet of a statue of Mary and spent time coloring and reading with the children. She also spent time with and said a special prayer for a little boy who was desperately in need of a heart transplant, and celebrated later when he got the news that he would receive it.
At the time, she also spoke with the Slovenian Cardinal Franc Rodé of her lifelong faith. The first lady grew up in Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia, which is now part of Slovenia. On the surface, her father was an atheist and supported the Communist Party that held power at the time. Secretly, however, he had his children baptized in the Catholic Church, and Mrs. Trump’s mother was quite familiar with local priests. Mrs. Trump remarked that coincidentally, the day of her baptism was also Donald Trump’s birthday, June 14. The rosary she brought for the pope to bless in 2017 reportedly came with her when she moved from Europe to the United States.
While I’m not a big fan of quoting anonymous sources, People magazine reportedly spoke to a couple of unnamed friends of Mrs. Trump’s who said she was quite honored to attend the funeral with her husband. The sources also said she doesn’t often talk about her faith, but is actually very religious. “Her religion has continued to play a large role in her life, helping her deal with grief,” they said. That grief they’re referring to was the death of her mother in 2024.
Recommended: The Truth About Melania
The source told People that the first lady admired the pope because “they shared a love for children and their welfare,” adding that the funeral “is a significant event for her, a life experience few are able to share,” and “Melania is an open-minded person with respect for all different types of people and their opinions.”
Here’s a video of the Trumps departing the White House for the funeral, as well as one of them viewing the pope’s coffin.
I speak in the name of all women when I say we love when men do protective gestures like Trump just did with Melania.
True gentleman spotted.
— Ada Lluch (@ada_lluch) April 25, 2025
🚨 NOW: President Trump and First Lady Melania pay their respects to Pope Francis at the Vatican
I’m so freaking grateful to have these two representing us on the world stage 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0dbTwRaLd9
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 26, 2025
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