Pope Leo XIV and pop star Madonna might have a family connection, a recent genealogical investigation has reported. The newly appointed sovereign of the Vatican City State has a diverse ancestral history, the investigation discovered.
Is Madonna related to Pope Leo XIV?
Yes, Madonna and Pope Leo XIV are reportedly “related.” The Vatican head is distant cousins with the pop star and others through a shared maternal ancestor from the 1590s, according to New York Times genealogical research.
Reports reveal that the Pope is a ninth cousin (with varying degrees of removal) to several A-list celebrities. These include Madonna, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, and Canadian Prime Ministers Pierre and Justin Trudeau.
The report also suggests that Pope Leo’s ancestral lineage is quite global, including multiple races. The head of the Catholic Church has seventeen American ancestors who were identified as persons of color.
Moreover, Pope Leo has several maternal ancestors who were freedom fighters. His fourth-great-grandfather, Charles Louis Boucher de Grandpre, commanded Louisiana militia forces and captured British posts in 1777. This potentially makes the Vatican head eligible for Sons of the American Revolution membership.
Another ancestor, Antonio José de Sucre, was a key figure in defeating Spanish colonialism across Latin America. He served as Simón Bolívar’s ally and became Bolivia’s first constitutionally elected president after his heroic role at the Battle of Ayacucho.
Additionally, the comprehensive genealogical study by American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami traced Pope Leo XIV’s lineage back 14 generations. It linked him to his 12th-great-grandparents, dating back to the year 1500.
The research also reveals Pope Leo’s complex family connections to American slavery. The study found that eight of the Pope’s identified ancestors were slaveholders, with most being Black themselves.
His maternal fourth-great-grandmother, Marie Jeanne, was reportedly enslaved by François Lemelle, bearing him at least six children. Lemelle freed Marie Jeanne and two daughters in 1772 and bequeathed her one-fifth of his estate, including 15 enslaved people, upon his death in 1789.
Meanwhile, the fascinating discovery of Pope Leo’s diverse ancestry has prompted an entertaining social media discussion. One fan joked on X, “Looks like Pope Leo is related to every celebrity with a ‘no filter’ policy.” Wonder if they all go to family reunions with a side of drama.”
Another X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “Lowkey… this might be the coolest Pope in history.”
