Is Pope Leo XIV Related To Madonna, Justin Bieber And Angelina Jolie? Family Tree Reveals…

Last Updated:June 18, 2025, 19:52 IST

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.

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.

Other significant ninth cousins include politicians Hillary Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as his father and fellow Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and famed writer Jack Kerouac.

According to Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr, the investigation traced Pope Leo’s ancestry to a Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpré, born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, which shows that the Chicago-born Pope Leo is ninth cousins—various times removed—with the Hollywood stars.

New Orleans-based genealogist Jari C Honora first uncovered the Pope’s Creole ancestry, revealing that the 69-year-old pontiff has recent Black relatives. Digging further into his lineage, the team found that Pope Leo XIV shares a common ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpré of Quebec, with a surprising list of celebrities.

Pope Leo XIV also has African-American roots. His grandfather, Joseph Nerval Martínez, was born to African-American parents in Haiti before returning to New Orleans in 1866. His heritage includes enslaved people, slaveowners of both Black and white descent, freedom fighters, and noblemen—making his background as textured as it is global.

As per The Times report, his ancestry spans continents—40 ancestors born in France, 24 in Italy, 21 in Spain, 22 in the US, 10 in Cuba, 6 in Canada, and even 1 each from Haiti and Guadeloupe.

As the news went viral, social media was quick to respond with a mix of disbelief and giddy amusement. One user on X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed, “Wait, Pope Leo XIV is actually a distant relative of Madonna?! That’s such a wild and iconic connection. Like, royalty meets pop royalty? I’m obsessed with this tea."

Madonna reacted to the news in classic fashion. On June 16, she posted a screenshot of the headline to X and followed up with a photo on Instagram Stories showing her father, Silvio Ciccone, seated while she strikes a pose beside him. Her caption: “Silvio, We’re related to the Pope! Strike a pose!"

Madonna’s Relation With Church

Raised as a Catholic, she adopted Veronica as her confirmation name and has since “cultivated" her “spiritual practices."

Over the years, she has embraced various religions including Kabbalah, Judaism, and Sufism. However, Catholicism has remained a constant in her life, influencing her music career through the use of Catholic iconography.

She is credited with popularising the cross as a decorative item in pop music.

Throughout her career, the 66 year old has faced accusations of blasphemy, sacrilege, and iconoclasm for her use and depiction of Catholic imagery. Her 1989 song ‘Like A Prayer’, which featured burning crosses and erotic displays of Jesus, drew criticism from the Vatican.

About Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV officially assumed the papacy on May 8, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at age 88 from a stroke. He now holds the historic title of being the first American Pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history.

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...

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News world Is Pope Leo XIV Related To Madonna, Justin Bieber And Angelina Jolie? Family Tree Reveals…