New genealogical research traces the Pope’s ancestry back to the 1500s, revealing what Harvard historian Henry Louis Gates Jr ...

This chart was prepared by Henry Louis Gates Jr., American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. It reflects the best-known research as of the time of publication. Design by Nick Sheedy.

We went back 500 years and found his connection to some fascinating people. By Henry Louis Gates Jr. On May 8, an American cardinal named Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. Later that day ...

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.

Additional names on the extended family tree include actress Angelina Jolie, former U.S. Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton, and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

From Holy See to Hollywood. A noted historian dug into Pope Leo XIV‘s family tree, discovering it includes a who’s who of A-list celebrities, political figures and even a famous novelist ...

But above all, it was found through the extension of work carried out by genealogist Jari C. Honora, that the leader of the Catholic Church has links with Madonna. Madonna was raised Catholic, and was ...

Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., best known for helping people, and celebrities, uncover ancestral connections on his long-running PBS series “Finding Your Roots,” has made headlines again with a ...

Sincerely Madonna.' Leo XIV was elected as pope on May 8, 2025 following Pope Francis's death on April 21, 2025. On Monday, Al Pacino became the first movie star to meet Pope Leo XIV.

Soon after Pope Leo XIV became the first American pope on May 8, reports came in that he has African-American ancestry, that connects him with various celebrities and political leaders. Some of these ...