Pope Leo XIV’s family tree has surprised the world with a celebrity connection no one expected. Born in Chicago, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the 267th pope on May 8, taking over after Pope Francis passed away in April. During his first public blessing, he declared: *“Never again war,”* calling for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and between India and Pakistan.

Known for his progressive views, Pope Leo has opposed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies. In 2018, he reposted a viral thread criticizing family separation at the border: *“There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages.”*

But what shocked many was his surprising family connection. Thanks to PBS’s *Finding Your Roots*, researchers traced his lineage to the 1500s and discovered he is distantly related to pop icon Madonna—*ninth cousins, various times removed*.

Fans reacted online with shock and humor. One wrote, *“Royalty meets pop royalty? I’m obsessed with this tea.”*

Even more shocking: Pope Leo is also connected to Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, and Jack Kerouac—reflecting a lineage that spans nobles, freedom fighters, enslaved people, and slaveowners.