The Catholic Defender: The Catholic faith of Jonathan Roumie

Jonathan Roumie is a devout Roman Catholic whose active faith and personal surrender to God heavily shape his life and his portrayal of Jesus in the hit series The Chosen.

He was baptized Greek Orthodox.

Baptized Orthodox: Born in New York City, Roumie was baptized Greek Orthodox. His father is of Syro-Lebanese descent from Egypt, and his mother is Irish Catholic. After moving to Long Island and struggling to find an Orthodox church, his family began attending a local Catholic church, where he completed his sacraments.

His father, who was born and raised in Egypt, attended Catholic school there and was familiar with the Catholic faith. His mother is a Roman Catholic from Ireland. Therefore, when they could no longer find a Greek Orthodox church, the family felt it natural to attend the local Catholic Church down the street. There Roumie made his first Communion and confirmation as a Catholic.

 Before landing his breakthrough role, Roumie faced severe financial hardship and was near destitution. He describes a pivotal moment where he completely surrendered his career and finances to God. Just three months later, he booked The Chosen. 

He is outspoken in urging Christian actors in Hollywood to stand firm in their beliefs. 

He had a powerful conversion.

While Roumie grew up Catholic, he has spoken openly about the deeper conversion he experienced. He explains that he began growing in his faith five and a half years ago.

Roumie had been an active member at his parish and participated in several ministries such as being a sponsor in RCIA, a Eucharistic minister, and a lector. But he admits that he was not letting God take part in his career.

He has partnered with the Hallow App to create Catholic content.

Daily Sacraments: Roumie relies heavily on the Eucharist, frequent confession, and adoration to sustain him spiritually, especially when preparing for emotionally and physically demanding scenes.

Public Witness: He serves as a prominent voice on the Catholic prayer app Hallow, actively promotes Church teachings, and met with Pope Francis in 2021.

He has a partnership with a Catholic charity helping children in need.

 In 2024, the university awarded him an honorary doctorate in fine arts for his work in evangelization and delivered their commencement address. 

He spoke at the 2023 March for Life in Washington, D.C.

On Jan. 20, 2023, in front of thousands of pro-lifers at the National Mall in Washington D.C., Roumie spoke publicly for the first time about his pro-life views at the annual March for Life. 

He focused primarily on the spiritual battle that is taking place in United States society over abortion. He cautioned the crowd to take their faith seriously in the face of resistance, including from popular culture and the media.