Pope Leo XIV: Unveiling a Star-Studded Family Tree
From the Holy See to Hollywood, a renowned historian delved into the family history of Pope Leo XIV, uncovering a lineage that includes a mix of A-list celebrities, political figures, and a famous novelist. Harry Louis Gates Jr., the host of PBS' "Finding Your Roots," collaborated with genealogists to trace the pontiff's ancestry back to the 1500s, revealing a diverse background with ancestors from various countries such as France, Italy, Spain, the US, Cuba, Canada, Haiti, and Guadeloupe.
Surprisingly, Pope Leo XIV has at least 17 black relatives, including his grandfather Joseph Nerval MartÃnez, who was born in Haiti. Additionally, the pontiff has a dozen ancestors who were slaveholders, with eight of them being black. His historical significance as the first pope from North America is further highlighted by his connection to well-known personalities from the continent, such as Madonna, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Trudeau, and Jack Kerouac.
At the age of 70, Pope Leo XIV ascended to the papacy on May 9 after a swift election process by the College of Cardinals at the Vatican. He is the 267th pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88. Pope Leo XIV's diverse and star-studded family tree adds an intriguing dimension to his papal legacy.