The research, led by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., the creator and host of the PBS series "Finding Your Roots," culminated in a private visit to the Vatican in one of Pope Leo XIV’s early audiences following his recent election.

Vatican Meeting Unveiled a Complex Family Tree

During the private session, Dr. Gates presented the pontiff with a detailed genealogical report. This meeting marked a unique event—both for the television host and for the new pope—as it became one of the earliest personal visits granted during the Holy Father’s reign.

The findings, published two months later in the New York Times, examined Pope Leo XIV’s family history in unprecedented depth. The article highlighted the pope’s unique lineage as a lens into the broader patterns of American identity.

Pope Leo XIV, elected from the Americas, is the first from the region to hold the papacy. His multifaceted heritage reveals more than geographic ties; it suggests a cultural tapestry shaped by voluntary European immigration and forced African migration.

A Tangle of Ancestors From Across the Globe

Dr. Gates described the pope’s ancestry as “surprisingly international,” pointing to extensive links across continents and centuries. The family tree reaches back to a maternal ancestor born in the 1590s, through whom Pope Leo XIV shares connections with numerous public figures of the present day.

Among them are political leaders such as Pierre Trudeau and his son, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, American politician Hillary Clinton, and cultural icons including singer Madonna, actress Angelina Jolie, author Jack Kerouac, and performer Justin Bieber.

According to Dr. Gates, Pope Leo XIV is related to these individuals as a ninth cousin, with varying degrees of separation, through a shared ancestral line. This connection underscores the often-overlooked links between seemingly unrelated individuals across the Americas.

Black Heritage and the Role of Slaveholding Ancestors

The research also uncovered that many of Pope Leo XIV’s American-born ancestors were Black, further complicating and enriching his family narrative. These ancestors offer a poignant reminder of the legacy of slavery and freedom in the shaping of American identities.

At least twelve of the pope’s ancestors were identified as having been slaveholders, a discovery made even more striking by the fact that several of these slaveholders were Black. The paradoxes within this portion of the pope’s genealogy offer insight into the anomalies and injustices within American historical records.

Additionally, the family line includes two documented freedom fighters. These individuals reflect struggles for liberation that are essential to the history of both the Americas and the global Catholic Church.

Family History Mirrors the American Story

The New York Times article emphasized that this rich ethnic tapestry embodies the complexities of American history. Historians noted that the migration and cultural mixture within the pope’s ancestry are emblematic of broader American dynamics, including colonization, enslavement, and resistance.

According to the Times, Pope Leo XIV’s Black ancestry symbolizes the tangled forces of conquest, immigration, and forced displacement that define so much of the Western Hemisphere’s past. Through this lens, his genealogy is more than personal—it serves as a historical narrative in itself.

The pope’s background was described as “strikingly ecumenical,” reflecting wide-reaching religious, social, and ethnic intersections. As such, his story is being seen not just as one man’s legacy, but as a window into a shared, often uncomfortable history.

Global Ties May Shape the Pope’s Vision

The report emphasized how Pope Leo XIV’s family story helps explain what many Vatican observers call his “cosmopolitan worldview.” Advocates suggest this global perspective is rooted in his deep familial link to so many varied people and communities.

His election, representing both a symbolic and real connection to many parts of the Western Hemisphere, has led some commentators to label him the “first pan-American pope.” In this context, his background may hold political and theological resonance for Catholics across North and South America.

Though papal ancestry may not typically shape doctrine, this case may provide an exception, if only in cultural or symbolic importance. Observers suggest his origins could influence his views on inclusion, history, and reconciliation.

Personal Identity Stitched From Shared Histories

By tracing Pope Leo XIV’s ancestry from the 16th century to the present, the research provides a living example of how deeply interwoven global and local histories can be. His story is, in many ways, a mirror of the Americas themselves.

As Dr. Gates has done with many public figures in his series, the revelations about Pope Leo XIV’s family suggest that identity often lies at the intersection of varied and sometimes contradictory paths. Slavery and freedom, politics and art, migration and rootedness—all intertwine in a single heritage.

With this knowledge in hand, the Vatican may now view the pope’s background not only as a matter of origin, but also as a source of spiritual and historical reflection.