Mario Lopez described meeting Pope Leo XIV as “incredible” and “humbling,” recalling how the Holy Father blessed his cross during a Vatican Mass. He also emphasized the role of faith in his family life and pointed to what he sees as a broader resurgence of Catholicism since Pope’s appointment.
Mario Lopez says Pope Leo XIV blessed his cross. By: ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Lopez, best known for Saved by the Bell, shared details of the meeting during a trip to Italy. Speaking to Us Weekly at Calamigos Ranch Resort & Spa, he said he arranged the encounter through “back channels” while in Rome after covering the Winter Olympics. He attended mass at the Vatican and said the experience was “incredible,” adding, “I’ll never forget it. He blessed my cross, too.”
What happened at the Vatican
Lopez traveled to Italy in February to cover the Winter Olympics for Access Hollywood. After his work concluded, he and his wife, Courtney Lopez, extended the trip into a personal journey through Florence, Milan and Rome.
During his time in Rome, Mario shared updates with his more than 3 million Instagram followers, documenting visits to key Catholic sites, attending mass and meeting Pope Leo.
In a video posted on Instagram, Mario gave a glimpse inside the Apostolic Palace, pausing in the pope’s private chapel. “In the Apostolic house where Pope Leo lives. This is his private chapel. It’s where he comes to pray by himself,” he said. “Michelangelo did the art here. He puts himself in all his art. This is very cool. The whole place is…wow!”
In a February 15 photo carousel, Mario summed up the visit, writing, “Met the Holy Father, attended Mass at the Vatican and had my cross blessed.”
Lopez speaks about his faith and family
Mario told Us Weekly he has “never been reluctant to be vocal about” his Catholic faith.
“I don’t want to push it on anyone by any means, but I’m not ashamed if asked, and I think it’s important for family and to set structure and to have a great foundation,” he said. “My kids go to Catholic school. It was important for us to have our kids have a faith-based education. So they love it. It’s great. And my daughter goes to an all-girls Catholic school. So it works out well for us.”
Lopez emphasized faith’s role in family life, saying Catholic schools provide “structure and foundation” for kids. By: 2025 Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins Photo/Newscom/The Mega Agency
“My kids are raised in a faith-based education. They all go to Catholic school,” he said in an earlier interview with Fox News Digital. “It’s something that’s the infrastructure of our family, and I’m proud of that. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to build more spiritual muscle.”
Mario also noted a personal connection to the renewed cultural focus on the papacy. “Father Jim is our buddy…I talked to Stanley Tucci today because he was in the movie Conclave,” he said, referring to the 2024 film about a papal election.