Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For Braden, an ordinary teenager from Tulsa, Oklahoma, turning 18 became an unforgettable encounter with the Holy Father.
Braden celebrated his birthday on August 5 while visiting the Vatican. Because the day fell on a Wednesday—the day Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly audience with the faithful—Braden was one of the lucky visitors in St. Peter’s Basilica who had the opportunity to greet the pope personally.
As Pope Leo XIV approached to shake his hand, Braden excitedly told him, “Holy Father, today is my birthday.”
Fr. Marco Billeri, Pope Leo XIV’s second personal secretary, overheard the exchange and happily retrieved a blessed rosary for the teen. Pope Leo handed the rosary to Braden, telling him, “For your birthday.”
Read more at Churchpop.com!
✍🏻Claudette Jerez
📹: IG @braden_8096
For Braden, an ordinary teenager from Tulsa, Oklahoma, turning 18 became an unforgettable encounter with the Holy Father.
Braden celebrated his birthday on August 5 while visiting the Vatican. Because the day fell on a Wednesday—the day Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly audience with the faithful—Braden was one of the lucky visitors in St. Peter’s Basilica who had the opportunity to greet the pope personally.
As Pope Leo XIV approached to shake his hand, Braden excitedly told him, “Holy Father, today is my birthday.”
Fr. Marco Billeri, Pope Leo XIV’s second personal secretary, overheard the exchange and happily retrieved a blessed rosary for the teen. Pope Leo handed the rosary to Braden, telling him, “For your birthday.”
Read more at Churchpop.com!
✍🏻Claudette Jerez
📹: IG @braden_8096
