Does Pope Leo have Louisiana roots? Archdiocese looking into it

The intrigue: Prevost's election seemed to take much of the world by surprise, including New Orleans' own Archbishop Gregory Aymond.

• "Many people have said we'd never have an American pope," he said in a press conference Thursday. "Well, we have one."
• "My own reaction was one of surprise," he continued, "but that shouldn't surprise us, in a way. ... The Holy Spirit does things that are very surprising to us."

Zoom in: Nearly a quarter of Louisiana residents identify as Catholic. Social media has already lit up with local historian and genealogist Jari Honora speculating on Pope Leo's roots, including sharing records that seem to indicate his mother is of Creole descent.

• The Archdiocese will start looking into it immediately, Aymond said.
• "If relatives of his were baptized or attended churches here — if there's a Creole dimension in his family — we certainly want to know that so we can even more claim him as one of our own," he said.

Go deeper

• Papal conclave ends on second day, in line with two centuries of tradition
• In photos: First American pope, Robert Prevost, named in Vatican