Pope Leo XIV has Creole lineage, New Orleans genealogist says

By Taylor Romine, Matthew Rehbein, CNN

(CNN) — Robert Francis Prevost, who on Thursday became the first American elected Pope, has Creole of color roots in New Orleans, according to a genealogist.

The newly elected pontiff is not known to have publicly commented on his Creole ancestry. But his brother told The New York Times the family did not identify as Black.

Pope Leo XIV’s grandparents on his mother’s side lived in New Orleans before they migrated to Chicago, where his mother, Mildred Martinez Prevost, was born in 1912, according to Jari C. Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection who shared his research and records with CNN.

Both of Leo’s maternal grandparents, Joseph and Louise Martinez, are listed as Black in a Census record from 1900. Joseph is recorded as a cigar maker who was born in “Hayti.” The Census record shows the couple as living in New Orlean’s Seventh Ward, historically a melting pot of cultures in the Crescent City.

“The family were free people of color prior to the Civil War. When they move to Chicago between 1910 and 1912, they ‘passed’ into the White world,” Honora told CNN.

John Prevost, the new Pope’s older brother, confirmed the research findings to The New York Times. CNN reached out to John Prevost for comment.

Before the Civil War, free Black Americans held higher social status than those who were enslaved, according to the Data Center, a research non-profit focused on Southeast Louisiana. After the war, all people of color were suddenly categorized together for the first time, which “amounted to a significant social demotion” for those who were free previously.

“They were suddenly denied access to networks and resources (such as education and capital) that had previously been available to them,” an entry on Creole history on the Data Center website says.

Creole ancestry includes people of mixed Spanish or French and Black descent.

Honora also shared a marriage certificate for Mildred’s parents and a photo of a family grave site that shows her parents’ name.

John Prevost told The New York Times he and his brothers didn’t discuss the Creole lineage, saying “It was never an issue.”

Still, Leo’s family lineage may enrich his status as the first US-born pope in the eyes of many, as his story embodies the country’s history of diversity and the unique American culture it engendered.

Honora, one of the founders of New Orleans’ Creole Genealogical and Historical Association, calls the newly uncovered connection to the Roman Catholic leader “a great connection for our local population.”

The city of New Orleans also acknowledged the finding, saying in a statement it is honored to share this history with him.

“The City of New Orleans is a melting pot of different religions and beliefs,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. “We are thrilled to welcome Pope Leo XIV, who embodies morality, unity, and inclusivity.”

The-CNN-Wire
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