Pope Leo XIV has created history as the first-ever American-born leader of the Catholic Church. For the first time since his inauguration, the pontiff has opened up about her childhood, the early days he spent in Chicago.

When Henry Louis Gates Jr. set out to trace the family tree of America's first pope, he had no idea he was about to uncover one of the most diverse and

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

What would you take to a meeting with the Pope? A family heirloom? A favorite book? Pictures of an ill loved one? Well, one person decided to bring a Pokémon card. His holiness not only blessed it but autographed a second one.

But beyond the celeb connections, Gates’ research uncovered something far more powerful: Pope Leo XIV is of mixed Black and European ancestry. His lineage includes enslaved people as well as slaveholders, and even two freedom fighters. In short, the Pope’s story is the story of America itself—complicated, resilient, and richly intertwined.

Pope Leo XIV has been presented with a physical copy of his family tree, which features some Black relatives. The news comes after The New York Times reported that Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago,

Henry Louis Gates Jr., who hosts 'Finding Your Roots' on PBS, confirmed Pope Leo XIV is related to Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, and Hilary Clinton, among others