Daniela Boutsen is one of Monaco’s 70 people preparing to enter the Catholic Church this year.

“I was married to a Formula One racing driver, so we were living on a fast track,” the 57-year-old Boutsen told OSV News.

Boutsen said she grew up without practising any religion, but experienced a profound moment during a trip to Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. When the tour guide pointed out the stone on which Jesus Christ’s body was laid after His crucifixion, her first instinct was anything but reverent.

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“Oh, that’s a really nice social media spot,” she recalled thinking, asking a friend to take a photo of her. “And when I touched the stone, I got electrified.” 

The stone, known as the Stone of Anointing or Stone of Unction, is the slab at the entrance of the church, where tradition holds that Jesus’ body was laid as He was prepared for burial in the nearby tomb known as the Holy Sepulchre.

The feeling Boutsen experienced was so strong that it stayed with her for weeks, until she finally went to the Archdiocese of Monaco and asked to enter the Church.

Boutsen is preparing to her sacraments of initiation at Pentecost. 

After entering the process of becoming Catholic three years ago, she faced a series of hardships -- her mother died, she went through a divorce and was diagnosed with cancer.

“The Holy Spirit helped me through all my suffering,” Boutsen said. She postponed her confirmation last year due to cancer treatments, and said experiencing a papal visit just before receiving the sacrament has brought her great joy. She is now cancer-free.

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Just a week before many of Monaco’s catechumens are set to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, they had the opportunity for an intimate encounter with Pope Leo XIV in front of the Church of St. Devota, one of Monaco’s most cherished religious sites. The church lends its name to the first corner of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix Circuit.

Among those days away from baptism is Alexandre Bizzoca, 46, who said he felt drawn to the Catholic faith because he “felt that something was missing in my life.”

“I wasn’t baptized because my parents made this choice to give me the choice for later if I would like to be baptized or not,” he said.

“But when the years passed, I felt something missing in my life and it became quite logical for me to get closer to my faith and to share this faith with other Christians... I didn’t expect at all that this year would be the year that Pope Leo would come to Monaco. So it’s a wonderful grace.” 

Deacon Simon Ardiss, who leads the Christian initiation courses for the Archdiocese of Monaco, said this is the largest group of catechumens and candidates to enter the Church at Easter in the decade he has been involved in the formation program.

The numbers reflect trends seen across France, where more than 20,000 catechumens are expected to be baptized during the Easter Vigil, a 20-per-cent increase over that of 2025.

He noted that the people entering the Catholic Church in Monaco span nationality, age and social background, including a doctor working in a hospital and several students. They range in age from 20 to 55 and represent many nationalities, including Monégasque, French, Italian, Guatemalan and various African countries.

Ethan Fender, 25, who is to be baptized on Easter, was among the few who had the opportunity to share his testimony directly with Pope Leo.

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In front of the Church of St. Devota, Fender told the Pope that five years ago, Jesus Christ found him during a difficult period, when the pursuits the world offered felt very hollow.

In his message to young people and those getting ready to enter the Church, Pope Leo encouraged them to trust in the Lord completely.