The internet can't get enough of the surprising revelation that Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born head of the Catholic Church, is distantly related to Madonna and Justin Bieber.
According to The New York Times, the pontiff shares a common ancestor with both pop icons: a man named Louis Boucher de Grandpré, who was born in Quebec about six generations ago.
Highlights
- Pope Leo XIV is reportedly ninth cousins with Madonna and distantly related to Justin Bieber.
- The Pope's ancestry includes Hollywood stars, political leaders, African Americans, and revolutionaries.
- Social media exploded with jokes and memes about the unlikely celebrity connections.
This makes the Pope and the Like a Prayer singer ninth cousins, and it's sparked a flood of hilarious reactions online.
The Pope's famous relatives don't stop at Madonna and Justin Bieber
Image credits: EWTN
Madonna and Bieber aren't the only famous names in Pope Leo's extended family.
The same ancestor also links him to former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actress Angelina Jolie, Canadian Prime Ministers Justin and Pierre Trudeau, and novelist Jack Kerouac, according to The New York Times.
Image credits: Catholic News Service
The family tree was mapped out by experts at American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami, who explored the Pope's lineage going back nearly 500 years.
Netizens quickly coined the term "Nepopetism" to describe the surreal overlap between the Vatican and Hollywood.
Others poked fun at the potential collaborations that could happen between Pope Leo and his relatives from the music industry.
Image credits: madonna
"Like a Prayer ft Pope Leo XIV when?" a netizen wrote.
"Next Madonna concert at the Vatican, y'all," another commenter joked.
Madonna's history with the Catholic Church adds a spicy twist
Image credits: Madonna
The pop legend has famously clashed with the Catholic Church over the years due to her provocative use of religious imagery in her music.
According to Billboard, Madonna’s 1989 music video for Like a Prayer, which featured a steamy moment with a religious figure, was condemned by the Vatican.
Image credits: madonna
In 2022, she even tweeted directly at Pope Francis, asking for a chat to "discuss some important matters" and joking that she had been excommunicated three times.
"It doesn't seem fair," she noted at the time.
Now that she's literally family to Pope Leo XIV, maybe she'll finally get that meeting.
Justin Bieber's faith journey makes the connection even more meaningful
Justin Bieber has been open about his relationship with religion as of late.
The singer, who attends Churchome, a Christian church, has spoken out about how his faith helped him through difficult times.
Earlier this month, he posted on Instagram: "Who are you to tell someone what someone should or shouldn't have… God decides what we deserve."
The Pope's ancestry has a complex history
Image credits: rorykramer
Beyond the celebrity connections, Pope Leo XIV's family history includes some profound stories.
The genealogical research revealed that he has at least 17 African American ancestors.
Others in his lineage were powerful figures, such as Charles Louis Boucher de Grandpré, a militia commander who fought in the American Revolution.
One of the most remarkable figures in the Pope's ancestry is Antonio José de Sucre, a revolutionary general who helped secure the independence of Peru.
Sucre ultimately became Bolivia's first constitutional president in 1825 before being assassinated in Colombia five years later.
Pope Leo XIV has previously gone viral over his impressive reflexes
Image credits: Edgar Beltrán/The Pillar
Pope Leo XIV made history in May when he was elected the Catholic Church's first-ever American pontiff after a two-day conclave.
A couple of weeks after he was named the next leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo went viral after he expertly performed a one-handed catch of a doll thrown by a White Sox fan.
As could be seen in videos of the event, Pope Leo was passing through in the popemobile when the fan showed off his knitted pope doll.
Image credits: Edgar Beltrán/The Pillar
Pope Leo then seemingly gestured for the man to throw the doll, which he then proceeded to catch with one hand.
The catch was appreciated by numerous netizens on social media.
"Sorry, but no one other than an American pope makes that catch," one commenter wrote.
"Insane aura," another wrote.
Netizens totally love the fact that Pope Leo XIV is related to Madonna
Image credits: WhosTalkingHere
Image credits: ZessTCitrus
Image credits: espoirvxo
Image credits: ConfidenceTwt
Image credits: marty_milkman
Image credits: karbon_kredit
Image credits: llXavierAngell
Image credits: Barasimgha
Image credits: ireneee27
Image credits: AirlearnApp
Image credits: bankof_amERICA
Image credits: blockxs
Image credits: btdavis25
Image credits: WordsCocoon
Image credits: SirenThaGoddess
Image credits: luna_west08
Image credits: falsegodlikeme
Image credits: Chris6d_
Image credits: chadCANROCKyou
Image credits: GreenManMarket