The Hollywood icon ended his stay in Rome with a private audience at the Apostolic Palace, where he was received by Pope Leo XIV. But it didn’t take long before reactions began to swirl across social media.
In a scene that could have been lifted straight from a film script, Robert De Niro — the legendary two-time Academy Award winner — brought his trademark gravity to the Apostolic Palace in Rome, Italy, for a meeting that has since ignited both admiration and criticism online.
On the quiet morning of November 7, 2025, inside the grand Sala del Tronetto, the actor was personally greeted by Pope Leo XIV in a moment filled with ceremony and reverence.
The Pope broke the silence first, warmly saying, “Good morning! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” to which De Niro, ever composed, responded, “For me as well.”
Rosaries, Reverence, and Online Reactions
Though the audience was brief and dignified, it carried a profound sense of intimacy. Despite his packed schedule, the Pope took the time to welcome the actor and his five guests — including family members.
They exchanged polite words in English, posed for photographs, and then came a touching moment: His Holiness presented each guest with a blessed rosary.
But while the sacred atmosphere spoke of peace and humility, the online world had a very different response. Social media erupted with debate, as users criticized what they saw as a breach of traditional protocol.
“What happened to kissing the papal ring??? I’d be kneeling out of respect for His Holiness,” one commenter demanded. Another echoed, “Why didn’t he kiss the Pope’s ring?” A third added sharply, “He didn’t kiss the ring.”
The criticism kept coming. “He clearly didn’t know how to greet the Pope,” one wrote, while another claimed, “The Pope didn’t seem impressed.” Even their body language was analyzed, with one person noting, “Look how Pope Leo pulls away from De Niro’s hand [sic].”
A separate thread of discussion fixated on the rosaries. Many speculated whether they were a standard offering or a special gift.
Some questioned why De Niro’s group received them at all, considering assumptions about their personal faiths. Others simply expressed envy, wishing they could have one themselves. One blunt comment read, “This seems unnecessary.”
A Daughter’s Deep Reflection
While online voices argued, Drena De Niro, Robert’s daughter, chose a more heartfelt approach. She shared a series of photos from inside the Apostolic Palace, her caption filled with emotion, faith, and remembrance.
“I may never find the words to describe the fullness in my heart. To stand in His Holiness’s presence, in a room filled with so much love and kindness, is an honor that will stay with me for the rest of my days,” she wrote.
Drena revealed that she felt her late son, Leo’s, presence throughout the visit — in the laughter, the warmth, and even in her slipping mantilla, which seemed to fall each time the Pope approached.
“I almost felt him knocking it off and laughing as I silently panicked, putting it back on my head,” she recalled.
She also mentioned forgetting her rosary before the visit and receiving one — strung with pearls — as a gift she believed carried her son’s spirit. “All Leo,” she wrote, ending her post with gratitude for her family, the Pope, and “the two most divine Leos I’ve ever met [sic].”
Honored in Rome, Rooted in Heritage
Just one day before his audience with the Pope, Robert De Niro stood beside Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, on the famed Campidoglio balcony overlooking the Imperial Forums. Reflecting on the city’s enduring beauty, the actor remarked,
“Rome is more than a city; it’s a living work of art.”
He was presented with the Lupa Capitolina, the highest civic distinction Rome can bestow. Visibly moved, De Niro accepted the award with humility and gratitude.
“To be recognized here, in a place that has given so much to culture, cinema, and beauty, is deeply moving,” he said, adding, “[…] This recognition carries a very special meaning for me.”
From the ancient splendor of Rome to the quiet sanctity of the Vatican, Robert De Niro’s visit became a tapestry of legacy, faith, and family.
It ended not with spectacle but with a handshake, a blessing, and a profoundly human moment — shared between generations, and between a man of film and a man of faith.