Martin Scorsese Shares the Hilarious Reason Why He ‘Wasn’t So Great’ at Being a Church Altar Boy as a Kid (Exclusive)
The Oscar winner talked to PEOPLE ahead of the premiere of his new faith-based anthology series 'Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints'
The boy who’d grow up to direct The Last Temptation of Christ apparently couldn’t resist the temptation to sleep in on Sundays.
When Martin Scorsese was a child growing up in New York City in the 1940s and 50s, he spent a few years serving as an altar boy at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, the Catholic church his family attended.
But, Scorsese is the first to admit he didn’t have a knack for being an altar server, a child who assists priests during liturgical services like Catholic Mass.
“I wasn't so great at it,” Scorsese, 82, tells PEOPLE. “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.’ ”
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Martin Scorsese on March 10.Nevertheless, he did — and remained an altar boy for a few years.
Though Scorsese was often tardy, the time he spent in the church left an indelible impression. “It's amazing the impact of being back there while the High Mass was being celebrated,” he says.
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Martin Scorsese on Feb. 20.The Mean Streets and Gangs of New York filmmaker became fascinated by statues of saints that were positioned around this house of prayer.
The saints — deceased figures who lived holy lives and are believed to have performed miracles — “cast a spell over me,” remembers Scorsese. “Who are these people? And why are they elevated, so to speak, to something special, sainthood?”
Related: Martin Scorsese's Life in Photos
"Were these saints human? As a young person, you thought maybe they were more than human, and that's something I've been fascinated by since that time,” he continues.
Courtesy of FOX Nation
A scene from 'Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints.'With his new Fox Nation docudrama Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints, Scorsese highlights eight of these historical figures, including Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, Francis of Assisi and Maximilian Kolbe.
Scorsese, who also serves as an executive producer, narrates the episodes, which feature reenactments of portions of the saints’ lives.
He explained to The New York Times why he thinks the series is timely. “The world as it is now, it is good to have examples of people who led their lives through compassion and love,” Scorsese said.
“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. Legends grow out of actions that really did mean the sacrifice of someone. It’s all about faith, something one struggles toward. It’s always been important to me,” the star added.
The first four episodes of Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints stream on Sundays this fall, beginning on Nov. 17. Four more debut in 2025.
