Grace Thompson
Melania Trump is a Catholic and the first Catholic first lady of the United States since Jacqueline Kennedy. She was born in Slovenia, where more than 70% of the population identifies as Catholic. Although her father was a member of Yugoslavia's communist party, which espoused a policy of state atheism, he had his daughters secretly baptized as Roman Catholic. Melania's Catholicism was confirmed by her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, after she met Pope Francis in 2017.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country of birth | Slovenia |
| Religious influence in Slovenia | Catholicism |
| Father's political affiliation | Communist Party of Yugoslavia |
| Father's religious affiliation | Atheist |
| Mother's religious affiliation | Not mentioned |
| Baptized | Yes |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| First Catholic first lady since | Jacqueline Kennedy |
| Openly practices religion | No |
| Attends church regularly | No |
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What You'll Learn
Melania Trump is a Catholic
Melania is a quiet and open-minded Catholic, with respect for all different types of people and their opinions. Her religion has played a large role in her life, helping her deal with grief after her mother's death in 2024. She has referenced prayer and blessings in her few public appearances and speaking engagements. For example, in her first public remarks as first lady, she opened a Florida rally in 2017 by saying, "Let us pray", and then reciting the Lord's Prayer. She also prayed in the chapel of the Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital during her visit to the Vatican in 2017.
Melania's Catholicism has been confirmed by her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, who said that Melania identifies as Catholic. However, Grisham did not respond to questions about whether Melania attends Mass regularly or is a member of a specific parish or church. Melania's Catholicism has been seen as significant, as she is the first Catholic first lady since Jackie Kennedy.
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She was raised in Slovenia, a Catholic-majority country
Melania Trump was born in Slovenia, which has been heavily influenced by Catholicism. More than 70% of the population identifies as Catholic. Although her father was a member of Yugoslavia's communist party, which espoused a policy of state atheism, he had his daughters secretly baptised as Roman Catholic.
Melania is a quiet Catholic, and her religion has continued to play a large role in her life, helping her deal with grief. She has leaned on her Catholic faith to get through hard times, especially after her mother, Amalija Knavs, died in January 2024.
Melania became the first Catholic first lady of the United States since Jacqueline Kennedy. She was also the first naturalized citizen to hold the title. In her public appearances, she has often referenced prayer and blessings. She opened a campaign rally in Florida by reciting the Lord's Prayer and promising to work to raise awareness for women and children's issues across the world.
Melania's Catholicism was confirmed when she met Pope Francis in 2017. She presented rosary beads to the Pope, which was perceived as a confirmation of her faith. The Pope blessed her rosary beads, and they had a conversation about what she feeds her husband. She also laid flowers at the feet of a statue of the Madonna at the Vatican's Bambino Gesù children's hospital.
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Her father was a member of Yugoslavia's atheist communist party
Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs, was born on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Her father, Viktor Knavs, worked as a chauffeur and later sold car parts for a state-owned vehicle manufacturer. He was a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, an atheist political party. Despite his professed atheism, Viktor had his daughters secretly baptised as Roman Catholic.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a one-party state ruled by the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, which espoused a policy of state atheism. Despite this, Yugoslavia was a religiously diverse country, with significant populations of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The country's constitution guaranteed freedom of religion, and religious communities were officially recognised by the state.
Viktor Knavs's membership in the League of Communists of Yugoslavia would have been a significant aspect of his life and identity. The party was the only legal political party in the country, and membership was often seen as a way to advance socially and economically. It is not uncommon for individuals in atheist communist parties to secretly hold religious beliefs and practices, as was the case with Viktor Knavs and his decision to have his daughters baptised.
While the League of Communists of Yugoslavia espoused state atheism, it is important to note that this did not necessarily reflect the personal beliefs of all its members. The party's policy of state atheism was more about promoting a secular state and public life rather than actively suppressing religious beliefs. Nonetheless, the party's influence would have had an impact on the religious landscape of Yugoslavia, and by extension, on the Knavs family.
Despite her father's official affiliation with an atheist communist party, Melania Trump has confirmed that she identifies as Catholic. She has been described as a "quiet" Catholic and is said to have a strong respect for people of all faiths. She has met Pope Francis and participated in various Catholic traditions, such as presenting and receiving blessings for rosary beads.
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She was secretly baptised by her father
Melania Trump, the former first lady of the United States, is a Catholic. She was born Melanija Knavs in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Her father, Viktor Knavs, worked as a chauffeur and later sold car parts for a state-owned vehicle manufacturer. He was a member of Yugoslavia's communist party, which espoused a policy of state atheism. Despite this, he had his daughters secretly baptised as Roman Catholic.
Melania Trump is the first Catholic first lady since Jackie Kennedy. In May 2017, during her first trip abroad as first lady, she met Pope Francis at the Vatican. The Pope blessed her rosary beads, and she placed flowers at the feet of a statue of the Madonna at the Vatican's Bambino Gesù children's hospital. She also prayed in the chapel of the Vatican-owned hospital during her visit.
In her public appearances, Melania has often referenced prayer and blessings. In February 2017, at a rally in Florida, she opened her introduction to the president by saying, "Let us pray," and then recited the Lord's Prayer. She also recited the Lord's Prayer at another rally in Florida in 2016.
Melania's Catholic faith has continued to play a significant role in her life, helping her deal with grief after her mother's death in January 2024. She has said that she can speak English, Italian, French, and German in addition to her native Slovene.
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She is the first Catholic first lady since Jackie Kennedy
Melania Trump is the first Catholic First Lady of the United States since Jackie Kennedy. Melania was born in Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia), where more than 70% of the population is Catholic. Her father, Viktor Knavs, was a member of Yugoslavia's communist party, which espoused a policy of state atheism. However, he had his daughters secretly baptised as Roman Catholic.
Melania's Catholic faith has been confirmed by her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham. During a visit to the Vatican in 2017, Pope Francis blessed her rosary beads, and she placed flowers at the feet of a statue of the Madonna at the Bambino Gesù children's hospital. Melania also prayed in the chapel of the Vatican-owned hospital during her visit.
In her public appearances, Melania has often referenced prayer and blessings. In February 2017, she opened a campaign rally in Florida by reciting the Lord's Prayer. She also tweeted about a boy who was going to receive a heart transplant, including the hashtags #Blessings and #Faith.
Melania's Catholic faith has been compared to that of Jackie Kennedy, who was also Catholic during a time when many Americans were suspicious of Catholics. Like Jackie, Melania wore a black dress and veil to meet the Pope.
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Frequently asked questions
Melania Trump was raised in Slovenia, which has been heavily influenced by Catholicism. Her father was a member of Yugoslavia's communist party, which espoused a policy of state atheism. However, he had his daughters secretly baptised as Roman Catholic.
Melania Trump is the first Catholic first lady since Jackie Kennedy.
During a visit to the Vatican, Melania met Pope Francis and presented him with rosary beads. She also placed flowers at the feet of a statue of the Madonna at the Vatican's Bambino Gesù children's hospital.
Following the death of her mother, Amalija Knavs, in 2024, Melania Trump leaned on her Catholic faith to help her deal with grief.
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