Fr. Ajani Gibson, pastor of St. Peter Claver in the Seventh Ward neighborhood where the maternal grandparents of Pope Leo XIV lived, sits inside the church in New Orleans, May 9.

Pope Leo received an official copy of his family tree, which includes his ties to "free people of color" in New Orleans.

Pope Leo XIV’s family has roots in Louisiana’s Creole population, according to research by Jari C. Honora, a genealogist with the Historic New Orleans Collection.

All four of Pope Leo XIV’s maternal great-grandparents were “free people of color” in Louisiana based on 19th-century census records, Honora found. As part of the melting pot of French ...

Reverend Ajani K. Gibson, pastor of St. Peter Claver, a Catholic Church in the 7th Ward neighborhood where the grandparents of Pope Leo XIV lived, speaks with The Associated Press inside the ...

Pope Leo XIV's Creole heritage highlights complex history of racism and the church in America. Cardinal Robert Prevost celebrates Mass at St. Jude Parish in New Lenox, Ill., in 2024.

The election of Pope Leo XIV, who is the first U.S. pope and has Creole roots, is raising more awareness about the complexity of the Creole identity.

All four of Pope Leo XIV’s maternal great-grandparents were “free people of color” in Louisiana based on 19th-century census records. Skip to Main Content Open Close Menu ...

All four of Pope Leo XIV’s maternal great-grandparents were “free people of color” in Louisiana based on 19th-century census ... said he was “a little surprised” about the pope’s heritage.

All four of Pope Leo XIV’s maternal great-grandparents were “free people of color” in Louisiana based on 19th-century census ... said he was “a little surprised” about the pope’s heritage.