The ancestry of Pope Leo XIV, a man of Creole descent, underscores the convoluted tale of racism and the church's role in America's history.
Rebooting the Narrative: The Journey and Roots of Pope Leo XIV
New Orleans, baby! The city's rich cultural heritage unexpectedly went global when the newly crowned Pope Leo XIV, previously known as Robert Francis Prevost, was traced back to the Louisiana melting pot. Jari Honora, a New Orleans genealogist, dived into the archives and unearthed a fascinating tale: Pope Leo's maternal great-grandparents were "free people of color" in Louisiana, reflecting a Creole heritage forged from the merging of French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences.
For descendants like Honora, it's a personal connection. "I share that heritage, and so do many of my friends who are Catholic here in New Orleans," said Honora, a historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The election of a fellow Creole Pope is seen as auspicious, promising to unite the global Church and boost the visibility of Black Catholics whose history and contributions have often been whitewashed.
Unveiling the Layers: The Pope and the Creole Tapestry
Rumors of a possible Haitian bond circulate around the pope's heritage. Joseph Norval Martinez, his grandfather, may have been born in Haiti, although historical records are patchy. Martinez's parents, however, were residents of Louisiana since at least the 1850s, according to Honora. The multifaceted Creole identity, defined by its linguistic, cultural, and racial mixing, is mirrored in the Pope's lineage.
Andrew Jolivette, a sociologist and Afro-Indigenous Studies professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, delved deeper into the Pope's ancestry. His findings echoed this complexity, showcasing the unique cultural significance of Creoles in southern Louisiana. "I view him as a Latino pope because the Latin heritage's influence cannot be ignored in the Creole equation," shared Jolivette, a Creole descendant from Louisiana.
The Creole Church: A Beacon of Unity
A mélange of African, Spanish, French, and indigenous roots, most Creoles are Catholic. This connection has played a crucial role in preserving families as they migrated to urban hubs like Chicago, Jolivette explained.
Leo's ancestral grandparents—identified as mulatto and Black in historical records—were wed in New Orleans in 1887 and resided in the Seventh Ward, a historically Creole neighborhood. As Jim Crow segregation took hold, life for this family, like many others, was severely circumscribed by race, extending to the Church.
Migration, Identity, and the Creole Spirit
In the early 1910s, Leo's grandparents moved from New Orleans to Chicago, a common step for African American families fleeing the oppressive conditions of the Deep South. They passed as white, as was the case for many people of color seeking a safer social environment. Honora noted the risks involved: "People may have intentionally sought to obscure their heritage, as life has always been precarious for people of color in the South."
The home of the Pope's grandparents in New Orleans was razed in the 1960s to make way for an overpass, obliterating a vital stretch of the largely Black neighborhood.
The Power of Odyssey: A Call for Visibility and Representation
New Orleans mayor, Marc Morial, describes the Pope's family history as "an American story of how people escape American racism and American bigotry." For Morial, a Catholic with Creole roots, feelings are ambivalent: pride for the Pope's connection to his city yet a reminder of the historical compulsion for people of color to dilute their authenticity to survive.
Father Ajani Gibson, head of St. Peter Claver Church, the predominantly Black congregation in New Orleans, sees the Pope's Creole heritage as a resurgence of the African American influence on Catholicism in the city. This influence is seen through traditionally Black cultural contributions, such as Mardi Gras, jazz, and brass band parades known as second-lines.
A Global Perspective: The Legacy of Diversity in Catholicism
Historian Shannen Dee Williams posits that Leo's ancestry underscores the dual nature of American Catholicism, emanating from both European and African origins. "Just as Black history is American history, Leo's story also reminds us that Black history is, and always has been, Catholic history in America," reflected Williams.
Associate Professor Kim R. Harris, from Loyola Marymount University, muses over the impact of the Pope's genealogy on the canonization process for seven African American Catholics who have been recognized by the National Black Catholic Congress. The learner of Pierre Toussaint, a Haitian-born philanthropist and New York City entrepreneur deemed "Venerable" by Pope John Paul II in 1997, sees potential in this new papal era for advancing the sainthood process.
In conclusion, the election of Leo XIV as pope offers a momentous opportunity to celebrate the diverse heritage and contribution of Black Catholics within the Church and society at large. As a trailblazer rooted in the rich cultural traditions of Louisiana, the Pope's ancestry invites us to explore and embrace our collective heritage, striving for a more inclusively united Church and nation.
- The ancestry of Pope Leo IV can be traced back to New Orleans, Louisiana, where his maternal great-grandparents were identified as free people of color, reflecting a Creole heritage forged from French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences.
- Andrew Jolivette, a sociologist and Afro-Indigenous Studies professor, delved deeper into the Pope's ancestry and found a unique cultural significance of Creoles in southern Louisiana, whom he views as Latino due to the Latin heritage's influence in the Creole equation.
- The Creole Church, with its roots in a blending of African, Spanish, French, and indigenous cultures, has played a crucial role in preserving families who migrated to urban hubs like Chicago.
- New Orleans mayor, Marc Morial, sees Pope Leo IV's family history as an American story, embodying the journey of people escaping American racism and bigotry, but also serving as a reminder of the historical need for people of color to dilute their authenticity to survive.
