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Martin Scorsese Reveals Reason He Struggled As Young Altar Boy And It's Quite Funny
Martin Scorsese, the legendary filmmaker, reflects on his struggles as a young altar boy, revealing how his tardiness for early morning Mass earned him a lighthearted reprimand from the priest.
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Martin Scorsese recalls serving as an altar boy at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral
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Scorsese humorously admits he wasn’t great at the role because he often arrived late for 7:00 Mass
Martin Scorsese, the iconic filmmaker behind classics like The Last Temptation of Christ and Mean Streets, recently opened up about his childhood experiences as a church altar boy.
Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the premiere of his new series Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints, the Oscar-winning director shared a humorous detail about why he wasn’t the best at the role.
Growing up in New York City in the 1940s and 50s, Scorsese spent a few years serving at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, the church his family attended. However, punctuality wasn’t his strong suit.
“I wasn’t so great at it,” the 82-year-old admitted. “It was very hard for me to be there on time for the 7:00 Mass. I would always be late. The priest had to say, ‘You can’t go on like this.’” Despite his tardiness, Scorsese stuck with the role for a few years.
Although Scorsese may not have excelled at being an altar boy, his time at church left a lasting impression. He described the profound experience of being part of the High Mass celebrations. “It’s amazing the impact of being back there while the High Mass was being celebrated,” he said.
Scorsese was particularly captivated by the statues of saints displayed in the church. These figures, celebrated for their holy lives and miracles, intrigued the young boy. He recalled that they cast a spell over him. He questioned to know who those people were. And why are they elevated to something special, sainthood?
The filmmaker explained how this curiosity shaped his understanding of faith and humanity. He said that as a young person, you thought maybe the saints were more than humans, and that’s something he has been fascinated by since that time.
This lifelong fascination inspired Scorsese’s latest project, Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints, a faith-based anthology series streaming on Fox Nation. The documentary shows the lives of eight saints, including Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, Francis of Assisi, and Maximilian Kolbe.
In an interview with The New York Times, Scorsese explained the series' relevance. He said that in the world as it is now, it is good to have examples of people who led their lives through compassion and love. He said that some are martyrs; some died for it. Some of the eight that were chosen deal with legend, but the legend does come from one or two facts.
Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints premiered its first four episodes on Nov. 17, with additional episodes set to debut in 2025. The series aims to bring the stories of these saints to a modern audience, blending historical facts with spiritual reflections.
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