Pope Leo XIV revealed to be distant cousin of Madonna, Justin Bieber, and more celebs

Pope Leo XIV revealed to be distant cousin of Madonna, Justin Bieber, and more celebs

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has already made history as the first American to lead the Catholic Church. But now, an astonishing revelation about his ancestry has shocked the world — he’s related to none other than pop icon Madonna, along with a string of other A-list celebrities.

According to a recent report published in The New York Times, the 69-year-old pontiff — born in North America and elected on 8 May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis — has a family tree that stretches across continents and cultures. Genealogical research conducted by Jari C. Honora uncovered that Pope Leo is connected to several celebrities through a shared ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpré of Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

Though it’s often said that everyone is distantly related if you look back far enough, this particular connection has a surprising number of famous branches. Among those believed to be distant cousins of Pope Leo XIV are Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, Hillary Clinton, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
But it was the Pope’s link to Madonna that made the biggest splash.

Madonna, born Madonna Louise Ciccone, was raised Catholic and confirmed under the name Veronica. Despite her controversial artistic interpretations of the faith — including the iconic and provocative 1989 hit Like a Prayer — she has remained spiritually tied to her Catholic upbringing. Her use of religious symbols, especially the crucifix, has become a hallmark of her career and left a lasting impact on pop culture.

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When the news broke of her distant familial connection to Pope Leo, the 66-year-old singer took to Instagram to celebrate. Sharing a playful photo with her 94-year-old father, she captioned it, “Silvio, we’re related to the Pope! Strike a pose!” The caption cheekily references her hit song Vogue, while acknowledging the unexpected family link.

The Pope's diverse ancestry also reflects the story of America itself. His lineage includes ties to France, Italy, Spain, Cuba, and Canada, as well as African-American heritage, according to the Times article. Two of his ancestors were reportedly freedom fighters — a nod to a long family history of resilience and transformation.