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Pope Leo XIV, who made history as the first American pope when he was elected in May 2025, is connected to several famous names across politics and entertainment, including pop icons like Madonna and Justin Bieber.
A recent genealogical investigation published by The New York Times revealed that the Pope shares a common ancestor with these celebrities, tracing back approximately six generations to a Canadian ancestor named Louis Boucher de Grandpre. Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, this ancestor connects the Pope to a surprisingly broad and diverse family tree.
“Through one Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre, who was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, the pope is related to numerous Canadian-derived distant cousins, including Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and Madonna,” the report stated.
This incredible discovery was part of a collaboration between the publication and genealogists from American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. The research extended back 500 years and uncovered unexpected information from noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters, and slaveholders alike.
The team, led by historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., initially uncovered that Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, had African American ancestors. “This was earthshattering news, but we knew it was only the beginning,” Gates commented, emphasizing how diverse the Pope's roots are.
Among the famous relatives, Madonna’s connection stands out given the Vatican’s past criticisms of the pop icon. The Church condemned her 1989 music video for “Like a Prayer,” which featured controversial religious imagery. In 2022, Madonna even tweeted at Pope Francis, humorously mentioning, “I’ve been excommunicated 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair,” and suggesting a meeting to “discuss some important matters.”
Now, with the two connected by blood, there might be new possibilities for reconciliation between Madonna, who grew up Catholic and is of Italian descent, and now the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, was elected after a two-day conclave, becoming the first American to hold the papacy in the Catholic Church’s nearly 2,000-year history. Now, the discovery of his unique family history adds another layer to the story.