Travis Barker’s wedding with Kourtney Kardashian created quite a controversy, particularly in the Catholic community. With the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary embroidered into Kourtney’s headpiece and their ceremony held at what looked like a church, many accused the couple of mocking the religion, and some even questioned the couple’s faith. Since most people already know that Kourtney is a Christian, let’s focus on the non-Kardashian in the relationship – Travis Barker, his religion, and who he is.

Travis Barker was brought up as a Catholic. In an interview, he admits to believing in God and praying regularly with his children. He also has a tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his head. But while he’s a Catholic with a heavily Catholic-inspired wedding, they did not get married in a Catholic ceremony.

So who exactly is Travis Barker, and what is he known for? Moreover, what does he say about his religion? Continue reading to learn more about him below. 

Who Is Travis Barker and What is He Known For? 

Born on November 14, 1975, Travis Barker is an American drummer best known for playing for the rock band Blink-182. That said, he was also a member of the Box Car Racer, The Transplants, and +44, and performed with many hip-hop artists, including YelaWolf, Suicideboys, Machine Gun Kelly, and many others. 

Barker began taking drum lessons at the age of five, and has since been regarded as one of the “Greatest Drummers of All Time”. His punk rock style of drumming combined with rudimental drumline and hip-hop beats made him highly recognizable. Add that to his skater-aesthetic, heavily-tattooed face and body, and hardcore personality, it’s no wonder he is also one of the most famous drummers of this generation. 

Further cementing his image of a total drumming machine, Travis Barker is also known for his performances using only one arm. In 2006, he broke his left arm and had to tour and play the drums while injured. He also performed on David Letterman’s Late Show with only one arm. He was so good at it that in one of their concerts, bandmate Mark Hoppus told the audience: “Have you noticed how our drummer does this with one **** arm? Our drummer doesn’t need two arms!” 

Aside from being a drummer, Travis Barker took part in the TV show “Meet the Barkers”, which aired from 2005 to 2006. In 2021, he was all over the news for his relationship with Kourtney Kardashian, whom he married three times in 2022. 

What Is Travis Barker’s Religion? 

In an interview with Vice, Travis Barker was asked whether he was religious, adding that his tattoo of the Virgin Mary was quite a statement. He then answered: “Well I got the Virgin Mary tattooed on my foreman when I was 18, 19, and I was brought up Catholic. I definitely pray; I believe in God. I definitely think I was blessed, and I’m here for a reason after being the only survivor of a plane crash. So I’m not at church every day and I’m not pushing religion on people. But I believe in God and I pray and my kids pray.”

That said, Barker has talked about his faith on many occasions. When he experienced a plane crash that killed four people, including two of his friends, he thanked God for saving his life. He also leaned on his faith and posted on Twitter, “God save me” amid his hospitalization and health scare in 2022. 

Then in their Hulu special “Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis” it was revealed that the couple originally planned to get married in a church, imitating the Guns ‘n Roses’ music video of November Rain. Travis said, “If it was our choice, we would have gotten married in a Catholic church, and it would have made a lot of sense since we were brought up Catholic.” 

Kourtney, however, corrects this by saying that she was brought up as a Christian. She then adds that she did attend a Catholic high school. 

What Church Did Kourtney and Travis Get Married in Italy? 

Kourtney and Travis originally planned to hold their third wedding at a local Church in Italy. However, given their situation at that time, this was not possible. In their Hulu special, Kourtney explained, “The church didn’t work out, especially an Italian Catholic church is so strict and we needed really specific documents or we needed to do a one-year Catholic course.” 

The couple then switched plans and decided to hold their ceremony on Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s estate in Portofino, Italy. Kourtney said, “We presented a lot of stuff that looked like the church and then they almost created a church.” So if you look at the photos from their wedding, it does appear as though they got married at a church or chapel. 

That said, while the couple’s Catholic church wedding didn’t happen, they did try to use and put in Catholic images and elements in their lavish ceremony, which was held on May 22, 2022. As mentioned, Kourtney wore a dramatic long veil depicting the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary – a nod to Barker’s head tattoo. They were also seen kneeling at the altar during their ceremony, which if you notice, is a widely-known Catholic wedding tradition. Plus, the whole “aesthetic” of the wedding just screamed Catholic. 

This, however, didn’t sit well with many people – Catholic or not. There was one person who wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “I’m just going to say it point blank. Kourtney Kardashian’s use of the Blessed Mother in her outfits during her wedding weekend was extremely offensive to me as a Catholic… I have a right to feel offended by it.” 

There’s also one person who said: “I just really feel like Travis & Kourtney’s wedding is mocking the catholic religion? They don’t symbolize religious people at all, just feels like mockery. I’m not catholic but just doesn’t sit right with me.” 

Another person said while they were happy for the couple, the “liturgical garments used during mass are not something fashionable.”