The new Pope Leo XIV, who recently assumed leadership of the Catholic Church, has an unusual family tree connecting him to many famous personalities, including Madonna and Justin Bieber. According to research by the PBS show Finding Your Roots, Pope Leo and these celebrities share a common ancestor born in the 1590s, making them distant relatives. His family tree, researched by experts from American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogical Club in Miami, dates back to the early 1500s and includes various social strata, from nobility to former slaves. This information has sparked significant attention and reactions on social media. Pope Leo XIV is an American citizen, educated in mathematics and theology, with a rich career in church service, including work in Peru and appointments by Pope Francis.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning sources tend to highlight the humanizing and relatable aspects of Pope Leo XIV by emphasizing his distant familial connections to popular culture figures like Madonna and Justin Bieber. They may also focus on the diverse social backgrounds in his family tree, including former slaves and common people, portraying the Pope as a figure bridging different social strata.
Center: Centrist sources report the facts about Pope Leo XIV’s genealogy and career in a straightforward manner, focusing on the novelty of the genealogical findings and the Pope’s qualifications and background without much editorializing. They present the information as an interesting but neutral human interest story.
Right: Right-leaning sources might emphasize the Pope’s strong religious and academic credentials, his leadership roles within the Church, and his traditional values. They may treat the genealogical connections to celebrities as a curiosity but focus more on his role as a spiritual leader and his service record.
