New pope celebrated for his "Creole of color roots"
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The newly elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, on the Vatican balcony in Vatican City on Thursday. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Pope Leo XIV is not only the first American to serve as Bishop of Rome, the City of New Orleans notes he also has "Creole of color roots" there.
The big picture: The 69-year-old newly elected pontiff's brother John Prevost told the New York Times from his Chicago home late Thursday this "discovery is just an additional reminder of how interwoven we are as Americans."
- The 71-year-old added he hopes this news about the Chicago-born pope formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost "will highlight the long history of Black Catholics, both free and enslaved, in this country, which includes the Holy Father's family."
Zoom in: New Orleans historian and genealogist Jari Honora first raised the matter of the roots of the new pontiff, who succeeds Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church from 2013 until his death on Easter Monday at age 88.
- Honora shared records on Facebook showing that Leo's mother is of Creole descent.
- "As a city known for its rich history and diverse culture, we are honored to have a new leader of the Catholic Church whose maternal grandparents Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié resided in the 7th Ward of New Orleans," per a City of New Orleans Thursday evening statement.
- The couple "were married at Our Lady of Sacred Heart Church on Annette Street in 1887 before moving to Chicago between 1910 and 1912," according to the emailed statement, which cited a source at The Historic New Orleans Collection.
💭 Our thought bubble, via Axios' Russell Contreras: U.S. Catholic congregations that shaped Leo were among the most diverse in the nation amid persistent segregation in Protestant churches.
- Catholics in the early 20th century married across ethnic and racial lines even when it was forbidden elsewhere — especially in Louisiana, California and New Mexico.
- Those dynamics appeared to have formed Leo's multiracial, multiethnic family as they moved to the Midwest.
What they're saying: Mayor LaToya Cantrell noted in a statement included in the email that the city is "a melting pot" of different religions and beliefs.
- "We are thrilled to welcome Pope Leo XIV, who embodies morality, unity, and inclusivity," she added of the pontiff, who is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Peru, where he served as a bishop for several years.
- "We look forward to building a strong relationship with our new pope and working together towards creating a more compassionate and just society."
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