George Washington’s Conversion to Catholicism

Mon, 1 Feb 2021 18:36:18 GMT

George Washington had an interest in Roman
Catholicism for many years. His servant Juba stated
that the General made the Sign of the Cross before
meals. He may have learned this practice from his
Catholic lieutenants, John Fitzgerald or Stephen
Moylan. At Valley Forge, Washington had forbidden
during “Pope’s Day,” the burning in effigy of the
Roman Pontiff. As President, Washington slipped into
a Catholic Church several times to attend Sunday
Mass.