Recent reports confirm that Pope Leo XIV’s ancestry includes Creole and African American lineage. His roots trace back to New Orleans’ Black Catholic community.
The pope’s maternal family history
The pope’s family traces to Creole ancestors who migrated from New Orleans to Chicago in the early 1900s
Pope Leo XIV’s maternal grandparents were free Creoles of color.
They left New Orleans for Chicago around 1910, according to historians.
Additionally, Jari Honora, of the Historic New Orleans Collection.
It was confirmed the family identified as Creole and were “free people of color” before 1865.
Jari Honora explained: The family were free people of color prior to the Civil War. When they moved to Chicago, they ‘passed’ into the white world.”
Once in Chicago, the family reportedly began “passing” as white -a common survival tactic for light-skinned Creoles in segregated America.
The Pope’s grandparent was a Black cigarmaker
Historical records describe Joseph Martinez, the pope’s maternal grandfather, as a Black cigarmaker. He had mixed ancestry and ambiguous origins
Different records place his birthplace as “Hayti”, the “Dominican Republic”, or “Louisiana”.
The document indicated the blurred lines of Black diaspora identity.
His maternal grandmother, Louise Baquiex.
She was born in New Orleans and is believed to have Creole French and African lineage.
Pope Leo XIV’s paternal family descends from French heritage.
However, his household didn’t discuss racial identity or Creole culture
According to the pope’s brother “John Prevost”, the family never identified as Black or discussed their “Creole heritage” growing up.
John stated that their paternal grandparents were from “France”, and discussions around race or ancestry simply “were never an issue.”
This silence reflects broader trends among Creole families. Many concealed their racial identity to escape discrimination and gain social mobility
Pope’s heritage highlights Black Catholic history
Jari Honora told The New York Times the pope’s ancestry showcases America’s interwoven racial history, especially among ” Black Catholics”.
He hopes the revelation will shine a light on “free and enslaved Black Catholics,” whose legacy shaped U.S. religious history.
“I hope that it will highlight the long history of black Catholics, both free and enslaved, in this country, which includes the Holy Father’s family,” Honora said.
Father Tony Ricard, a Creole priest in New Orleans, said he wasn’t surprised by the news. He saw a familiar resemblance.
““When [Pope Leo] came to the balcony, I looked up, and I was like, ‘That dude looks like he could be my brother,,’” Ricard told CNN.
“And that’s before we even knew what his heritage was.
“I guess we have to start calling him ‘the Gumbo Pope’ because he’s a little bit of everything mixed together,” Ricard quipped.