A genealogical study by noted genealogist Henry Louis Gates Jr. featured in a recent New York Times article has revealed that Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, is distantly related to a variety of celebrities, including Madonna, who is his distant cousin. Other notable relations on the pontiff’s family tree include Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, and Jack Kerouac. Gates traced much of Pope Leo’s family roots to his Creole ancestry in New Orleans, along with a mix of French, Italian, and Spanish heritage. A link to a common French-Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre, connects Pope Leo to a lineage that also includes Angelina Jolie and former Canadian Prime Ministers Pierre and Justin Trudeau. Madonna marked the exciting revelation by posting an Instagram story with her father, Silvio, who just celebrated his 94th birthday on June 3. Madge excitedly captioned her post, “Silvio! We’re related to the Pope! Strike A Pose!” (Consequence of Sound)
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Madonna Celebrates Discovery That She Is A Distant Cousin To Pope Leo XIV
Jun 18, 2025 | 7:00 PM
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