Pope Leo’s family tree uncovered.
Pope Leo XIV just ascended to the papal throne—but it’s his bloodline, not his blessings, that has tongues wagging.
Pope Francis’ death profiled.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 in April.
The transition marked the end of Pope Francis’s impactful tenure, during which he became known for his progressive stances and global outreach.
Pope Francis’s funeral was held at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, drawing thousands of mourners and dignitaries from around the world.
The ceremony was solemn, reflecting on his legacy of humility, reform, and calls for compassion within the Church.
After the funeral, the College of Cardinals convened to elect the new Pope, ultimately selecting Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.
Upon election on May 8, Cardinal Prevost adopted the name Pope Leo XIV, stepping into his role amidst great expectations and global attention.
Pope Leo’s rise highlighted.
Before he was Pope Leo XIV, he was Robert Francis Prevost, born and raised in Chicago to a devout Catholic family of Peruvian and American descent.
He served as bishop in Peru for over a decade before being called to Rome, eventually becoming a key figure under Pope Francis.
He officially assumed the papacy on May 8, following the death of Pope Francis at age 88.
In his first public address on May 11, he stunned crowds with an emphatic anti-war message: “Never again war.”
Long before taking the throne, Leo was retweeting critiques of Trump’s border policy, including harsh condemnation from Cardinal Blase Cupich.
“There is nothing remotely Christian… about a policy that takes children from their parents,” read one tweet he shared in 2018.
Since his appointment, he’s called for a ceasefire in Gaza, a resolution in Ukraine, and peace between India and Pakistan.
Pope Leo’s iconic family connection confirmed.
The internet exploded after finding out the new Pope is literally related to Madonna—yes, that Madonna.
It turns out Vatican royalty shares distant DNA with pop royalty. You really can’t make this stuff up.
Researchers say Pope Leo and Madonna are ninth cousins, multiple times removed, through a maternal ancestor born in the 1590s.
The ancestor in question lived during the late 16th century in what’s now Quebec—proving Madonna’s Catholic roots really run deep.
Genealogists didn’t stop at Madonna. They uncovered family ties to Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, and even Hillary Clinton.
Other names popping up in the Pope’s lineage? Jack Kerouac, Pierre and Justin Trudeau, and, bizarrely, slaveowners and enslaved people.
The discovery came courtesy of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., working with genealogists at American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami.
Thanks to public demand, PBS researchers traced his lineage to his 12th-great-grandparents, born in the early 1500s.
That same family tree includes noblemen, Indigenous freedom fighters, enslaved Africans, and even controversial figures on both sides of history.
Genealogists found both Black and white slaveholders in his lineage, painting a complex portrait of the Pope’s ancestry.
Reactions to Pope Leo’s family tree clarified.
X (formerly Twitter) was in rare form, with one user writing: “This is such a wild and iconic connection—royalty meets pop royalty?”
While the Madonna connection went viral, it’s only one name among dozens in a list of unexpected, era-spanning relatives.
The randomness of the connection floored people online. “Two completely different vibes,” wrote one commenter. Can confirm.
“Like, how distant are we talking?” one curious fan asked. Experts say ninth cousin status puts the Pope and Madonna firmly in the safe zone.
As of now, the Queen of Pop has not addressed her ties to the Pontiff. But you just know she will.
There’s been no formal comment from the Church on the viral genealogy chart—and maybe that silence says more than words could.
A Pope with the bloodline of a pop star.
If this is what’s surfacing now, one has to wonder what other wild ancestral connections are hiding just below the surface.
It’s official: Pope Leo XIV isn’t just holy—he’s Hollywood-adjacent. And with that family tree? We’re all watching closely for what comes next.