Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics

Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics

Pope Leo's Personal Trainer Didn't Know Who His Client Was

Valerio Masella, 26, had no idea his client was even a priest — until he saw him step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s as the new pope.

Christopher Hale's avatar
Christopher Hale
Jul 29, 2025
∙ Paid
113
2
30
Share
An Italian personal trainer was surprised to learn belatedly that a client  who had coached the sport.. - MK
Masella simply knew Pope Leo as “Robert.” He didn’t even know he was a priest.

Dear friends,

Because of you, Letters from Leo is now the #6 top new bestselling Substack in the world. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.

Tonight’s piece is a lighter one — a look at Pope Leo’s fitness regimen. After his election, I visited the pope’s favorite gym to see it for m…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Christopher Hale
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture