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New York Post
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Pope Leo XIV has scads of famous cousins — including Madonna, Justin Bieber and more
From Holy See to Hollywood. A noted historian dug into Pope Leo XIV's family tree, discovering it includes a who's who of A-list celebrities, political figures and even a famous novelist. Harry Louis Gates Jr., longtime host of PBS' 'Finding Your Roots,' a docuseries that explores the ancestry of noteworthy people, recently collaborated with genealogists at the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami and American Ancestors and traced the new pontiff's family history back to the 1500s, making some unexpected discoveries. 3 Pope Leo XIV became the first American pontiff on May 8. AP For starters, Leo XIV comes from a strikingly diverse background, with ancestors born all around the world, from France, Italy, Spain and the US to Cuba, Canada, Haiti and Guadeloupe, an archipelago nation in the eastern Caribbean. The pope also has at least 17 black relatives, including his grandfather, Joseph Nerval Martínez, who was born in Haiti. Leo XIV also had a dozen ancestors who were slaveholders, eight of whom were black. Pope Leo XIV's ascent to the papacy was historical significance partly due to him being the first pontiff to hail from North America, and his ancestry includes a number of household names from the continent. He's ninth cousins — many times removed — with superstars including Madonna, Justin Bieber and Angelina Jolie, as well as Hillary Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 3 Pop icon Madonna is one of Pope Leo XIV's famous cousins. AFP via Getty Images Rounding out his roster of famous cousins is 'On the Road' author Jack Kerouac. Pope Leo XIV, 70, became pontiff May 9 after just two days and four rounds of voting by the College of Cardinals at the Vatican. 3 Pope Leo XIV is ninth cousins, many times removed, with singer Justin Bieber. GC Images He is the 267th pope in the history of the Roman Catholic church, and follows Pope Francis, 88, who died April 21 after battling respiratory illness culminating in a stroke and heart failure.
India Today
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Madonna reacts to ties with Pope Leo XIV; Jolie, Bieber also among his relatives
Pop star Madonna recently reacted to a New York Times report that claimed that the artiste is a distant relative of the newly elected Pope. The report also mentioned a surprising list of A-list celebrities who are allegedly linked to the Vatican. The pop artist reacted sarcastically to the news in her Instagram Stories, tagged her father, and wrote, "Silvio, We're related to the Pope! Strike a pose (sic)!"advertisementAccording to the report, the Pope's family roots were traced through a joint project between the New York Times, American Ancestors, and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. Upon further digging, it was found that the Pope shares a common ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre of Quebec, with a list of other A-list celebrities. Apart from Madonna, the list included Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, Hillary Clinton, and both Pierre and Justin Trudeau. (Photo Credit: Instagram/madonna) The 'Crazy for You' singer's connection to the Pope came three years after she asked his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, to meet and discuss her three alleged excommunications from the "Hello @Pontifex Francis —I'm a good Catholic. I Swear!" she wrote on X in May 2022. "I mean I don't Swear! Its been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters ? (sic), she wrote. (Photo Credit: X/madonna) In 2023, she made headlines by appearing as the Virgin Mary on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, with imagery alluding to the 12 apostles. Looking back at the Church's long-standing criticism of her work, Madonna once expressed surprise, saying she was 'shocked to see myself being attacked by the Church,' as they failed to see that her work aimed to create something Leo XIV made history as the first American-born pontiff, originally from Chicago. After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, Pope Leo XIV was elected as the new pope. He assumed the papacy on May 8 this year.
News18
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Is Pope Leo XIV Related To Madonna, Justin Bieber And Angelina Jolie? Family Tree Reveals…
Pope Leo XIV also has African-American roots. (File) Pope Leo XIV (Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost), the first American to ascend to the papacy, has an astonishingly celebrity-ridden family tree that links him to some of the most famous names in pop culture— including Madonna, Justin Bieber, and Angelina Jolie. An extensive genealogical study by The New York Times, in collaboration with American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami, has unearthed the fascinating heritage.
Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Madonna's hilarious reaction to finding out she's related to the Pope
Madonna has responded to the news that she is related to Pope Leo XIV, who was elected as the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in May, with a typically tongue-in-cheek response It seems that Madonna's hit 'Like a Prayer' has gained an unexpected layer of significance. The Queen of Pop has been linked to none other than Pope Leo XIV, according to a fascinating interactive piece in The New York Times by Henry Louis Gates Jr. , who worked with American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. The article, which builds on the work of New Orleans genealogist Jari C. Honora, reveals that the Pope has Black ancestors and highlights his Creole heritage – a discovery first made by Jari. Madonna is among several celebrities found to share ancestry with the Pope through a Canadian forebear, Louis Boucher de Grandpre from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. This ancestral tie places the Pope in a family tree with a host of "Canadian-derived distant cousins," including not just Madonna but also Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and both Pierre and Justin Trudeau. Upon discovering her familial ties to the pontiff, Madonna couldn't hide her excitement. On Monday, June 16, she took to social media, sharing a screenshot of the revelation on X/ Twitter and then posting a black-and-white snap of herself with her dad, Silvio Ciccone, on Instagram Stories, as reported by Mirror US, reports the Express. In the shared photo, captioned "Silvio, We're related to the Pope! Strike a pose!", we see Silvio sitting comfortably while Madonna strikes a dramatic pose with hands aloft. It's worth noting that Madonna's relationship with Catholicism has always been a theme in her life and career, long before this newfound connection to Pope Leo came to light. Raised in the Catholic faith, she chose Veronica as her confirmation name and has since developed her "spiritual practices." Throughout her life, she has explored various religious paths including Kabbalah, Judaism, and Sufism, yet Catholicism has consistently influenced her, notably in her music career with its symbols. She is recognised for bringing the cross into vogue as a fashion statement within pop culture. The 66 year old icon has often been at the centre of controversy, facing allegations of blasphemy and sacrilege due to her provocative use of Catholic imagery. Her controversial 1989 hit 'Like A Prayer', with its burning crosses and sensual portrayal of Jesus, provoked outrage from the Vatican. Pope John Paul II even called for a boycott of her Blond Ambition tour. In 2023, Madonna once again stirred debate with her Vanity Fair cover shoot, where she depicted the Virgin Mary and included other religious motifs such as the 12 apostles. Reflecting on the backlash to 'Like a Prayer' and the subsequent calls for a boycott, she shared her astonishment at being targeted by the Church, remarking that they did not grasp the positive intentions behind her artistry, saying, "shocked to see myself being attacked by the Church, because they weren't able to understand how much my work was trying to produce something good." In a surprising turn of events, American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been chosen as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, following a conclave on 8 May. Now known as Pope Leo, the 69 year old cardinal is the first American to hold the esteemed position. Pope Leo succeeds Pope Francis, who sadly passed away on 21 April at the age of 88 due to complications from a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and heart failure. Born on 14 September 1955, in Chicago, Pope Leo grew up in the South Suburban town of Dolton with his two brothers, Louis and John. His parents, Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martinez, were a school superintendent and a librarian involved in parish life, respectively. Interestingly, Pope Leo's heritage is a mix of French, Italian, and Spanish, with his father being of French and Italian descent, while his mother was of Spanish ancestry. According to his brother, the family also discovered Creole roots on their father's side, but it was never a topic of discussion among the siblings. It remains to be seen whether Pope Leo will respond to Madonna's 2015 tweet, in which she reached out to Pope Francis, stating, "I'm a good Catholic. I swear! I mean I don't Swear! Its been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters?"I've been excommunicated three times. It doesn't seem fair. Sincerely, Madonna. "".
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First Post
16-06-2025
- General
- First Post
Pope Leo is a relative of Clinton, Trudeau and Madonna: A historian traces his family tree
Pope Leo's lineage is international. His ancestors were born in France, Italy, Spain, the US, Cuba, Canada, Haiti, and Guadeloupe. The birthplaces of nine others remain unknown read more On May 8, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. Later that day, The Times published findings from genealogist Jari C. Honora, revealing that the new pope has recent African American ancestry, traced back just three generations. Research goes back to the 1500s The discovery sparked interest from viewers of PBS's Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. In collaboration with genealogists at American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami, Gates traced the pope's ancestry back to his 12th-great-grandparents, who lived in the early 1500s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Famous cousins Further research uncovered connections to public figures. Through a distant maternal ancestor born in the 1590s, Pope Leo is a ninth cousin (various times removed) of Hillary Clinton, Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and Madonna. A global family tree Pope Leo's lineage is international. His ancestors were born in France (40), Italy (24), Spain (21), the U.S. (22), Cuba (10), Canada (6), Haiti (1), and Guadeloupe (1). The birthplaces of nine others remain unknown. Black ancestry, including his grandfather Seventeen of the pope's American-born ancestors were identified as Black in historical records, described using terms such as 'negresse,' 'free person of colour,' and 'quadroon.' His grandfather, Joseph Nerval Martínez, was born in Haiti to African American parents who had returned to New Orleans in 1866. A complex American story Twelve of the pope's known ancestors were slaveholders—eight of them Black. One ancestor, Marie Jeanne, was born enslaved, later freed, and eventually became a landowner with 1,040 acres and five enslaved individuals. The family tree also includes revolutionary figures: one fought for American independence; another, Antonio José de Sucre, was a Latin American independence hero and Bolivia's first president.
