Elvis Presley was on the hunt for God during his time on Earth, according to Priscilla Presley.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning last month, the King of Rock and Roll’s ex-wife talked about his passion for the Bible and how he related to Jesus.
“He was captivated by religion and finding out, you know, you would read about Jesus and about what Jesus went through being Jesus — kind of related to that,” she explains.
“I don’t mean in any way that he thought was God or Jesus, but reading the books and reading the Bible and how he suffered, meaning Jesus, he related to that in many ways,” she adds
Priscilla’s chat on the program was in an effort to promote and dive into her new book Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis. In it, she revisits fond and painful moments — both with Presley and without him.
Did Elvis Presley Read the Bible?
Combing through the pages of the Bible was a way for Elvis to find purpose, she believes. His passion for the Gospel was so great, he would hold small Bible studies in his home and share what excited him with others.
“He’d preach the Bible,” she recounts. “He would have the Bible, and he would come out with stuff and read it and we would all be there listening. It was great for a while but got to get a little boring.”
That didn’t deter him, however.
“He’d have all of us gather and some fans that would come around,” she shares. “He’d bring in and start talking about the Bible and get up and had the Bible in his hands. I mean, you think he was preaching, but it was enjoyable.”
Did Elvis Presley Attend Church?
Presley was a fan of church, but he also understood that his presence in a sanctuary would cause a stir. He was one of the most famous people on the planet, after all. Priscilla says he found another way to go to church without causing a commotion.
“We would watch through the windows,” she reveals. “Watching the prayer and watching the people, watching how engrossed they were and he was happy.”
“We were like kids,” Priscilla continues. “We were like two kids looking in the window and listening to the preaching and listening to the chorus. And, of course, he’d sing a little bit too.”
“How Great Thou Art” was his favorite gospel song, and Priscilla says when he would sing those songs, you could feel his faith in them.
“When he sang the gospel songs, you could feel that he was living the song.”
PICTURES: See Inside Elvis Presley’s Spectacular $5.65 Million Honeymoon Hideaway
The 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom, 4,695-square-foot Palm Springs hideaway where Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon has sold for $5.65 million. Designed by renowned architect William Krisel, the lavish, futuristic estate earned the distinction of the “House of Tomorrow” from Look Magazine in 1962.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
