NEW ORLEANS — Upon the introduction of the new pope, Leo XIV, New Orleans genealogist Jari Honora was captivated by the distinctly French-like surname, Prevost. Through meticulous research, Honora uncovered that Pope Leo XIV possesses significant ancestral ties to New Orleans, Louisiana. It appears that all four of his maternal great-grandparents were identified as “free people of color” within the region during the 19th century, marking them as part of the multicultural quilt woven from French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences intrinsic to Louisiana’s Creole community.
“This discovery is incredibly personal,” expressed Honora, who works as a historian with the Historic New Orleans Collection in the French Quarter, “It’s a shared cultural heritage with so many friends here, especially within our Catholic community.” The election of Leo, originally a Chicago native and former bishop with extensive experience in Peru, has instilled hope within Black and Creole Catholic groups. They see his ascent as a chance to reconcile the church globally and spotlight the historically marginalized narrative of Black Catholics.
Pope Leo XIV’s lineage may also extend to Haiti through his grandfather, Joseph Norval Martinez, although exact historical records are inconclusive. Yet, it’s established that Martinez’s ancestors were Louisiana residents since the 1850s. Sociologist Andrew Jolivette from the University of California, Santa Barbara, has also delved into the pope’s heritage, uncovering that Leo’s background encapsulates the rich tapestry of southern Louisiana. With Cuban ancestry on his maternal side, the Creole identity of the pope presents a multifaceted cultural pride.
Historically, Creole families have often adhered to Catholicism, a central pillar that helps communities stay connected, especially as they moved to wider locales like Chicago, states Jolivette. Pope Leo XIV’s grandparents, identified in records as “mulatto” and “Black,” tied the knot in New Orleans in 1887, settling in the city’s Seventh Ward—an area known for its Creole history. Despite the subsequent imposition of Jim Crow laws erasing gains made post-Civil War, the pope’s family’s faith remained unyielding.
By 1910, facing systemic discrimination in the South, the pope’s grandparents relocated to Chicago, opting to “pass for white” in order to navigate racial prejudice of the era. This survival strategy is mirrored in the identification of the pope’s mother, Mildred Agnes Martinez, listed as “white” on her birth certificate. The family’s New Orleans roots suffered further disruption in the 1960s when their home was cleared for urban development. The saga of Pope Leo’s family exemplifies, as former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial describes, “an American story of how families navigated racism and bigotry.” Morial, himself of Creole descent, highlights the duality of pride in the pope’s connection yet a somber reflection on the need for racial “passing” in America.
For the Rev. Ajani Gibson of New Orleans’ St. Peter Claver Church, the pope’s background signifies a renewed acknowledgment of African American contributions to Catholicism in New Orleans. “Many aspects that define New Orleans’ essence are deeply rooted in Black and Catholic traditions,” Gibson stated, emphasizing the city’s vibrant cultural scenes like Mardi Gras and jazz. He hopes that the pope’s connections herald a more inclusive Catholic Church that mirrors the diverse world.
Shannen Dee Williams, a historian at the University of Dayton, echoes this sentiment, hoping Leo’s papacy reminds the globe of the intertwined narratives of Europeans and Africans within American Catholicism’s history. The cultural scope of Pope Leo’s ancestry underlines vital reconciliations necessary within the church’s own checkered past.
Kim R. Harris from Loyola Marymount University sees the pope’s background sparking progress for the seven African Americans acknowledged by the National Black Catholic Congress for sainthood. She highlights Venerable Pierre Toussaint, a philanthropist and former slave from Haiti elevated in recognition by Pope John Paul II. This papal moment fosters hope for further advancements in inclusivity.
Reynold Verret, president of Xavier University of Louisiana, reflects on the revelations of Pope Leo’s heritage as a pleasant surprise that confirms the truly universal nature of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV’s ancestry not only encapsulates the tenacity of Black Catholics but also underscores the borderless continuity of faith.