Two faiths, one message: Trumps unite for Ash Wednesday address
Melania and Donald Trump belong to different denominations, yet this did not prevent them from jointly addressing Catholics on Ash Wednesday. Which religious communities do the President and First Lady of the USA belong to?
The discussion about Melania Trump's faith intensified in 2017 when she traveled with her husband to the Vatican. At that time, she met with Pope Francis and held several discussions with high-ranking church hierarchs.
In the media, there was speculation about whether she is Catholic, as she was born in Slovenia, which in the 1970s was part of the communist and secular Yugoslavia. A Slovenian cardinal dispelled doubts on this matter.
He revealed that the First Lady of the USA asked Pope Francis to bless her rosary and that she also found a moment to pray in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary away from the cameras.
Following the meeting between the American first couple and the Pope, speculation arose regarding Melania Trump's religious affiliation. According to an interview cited by Aleteia.org, it was confirmed that she is Catholic.
Melania Trump is the second First Lady in history who is Catholic. The first was Jacqueline Kennedy. On the other hand, Donald Trump, who as a Republican places great emphasis on traditional values, was raised in a Protestant household.
There is plenty of information online that his parents (Protestants) belonged to the Presbyterian Church, whose pastor was Norman Vincent Peale. An emphasis on active, representative clerical leadership characterizes this denomination.
The US leader admitted in 2020, in a statement sent to the Religion News Service, that he currently does not identify with any small community and is a Christian.
Melania and Donald Trump addressed Catholics
No one was surprised when the presidential couple on the day marking the start of the Lenten season before Easter addressed a few words to Catholics. A note was posted on the White House website, in which they both assured their prayers.
This Ash Wednesday, we join in prayer with the tens of millions of American Catholics and other Christians beginning the holy season of Lent—a time of spiritual anticipation of the passion, death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. During the Lenten season, Christians spend 40 days and 40 nights praying, fasting, and giving alms to deepen our faith and strengthen our belief in the Gospell — they wrote.
