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NY Times: New Pope Has Creole Roots in New Orleans, Genealogist Says

May 8, 2025

Read about how HNOC family historian Jari C. Honora uncovered the family history of Robert Prevost, just hours after he was announced as the next pope.

A smiling man in a suit and tie stands in front of a blurred background. He is wearing glasses and a nametag on his lapel.
Jari C. Honora, HNOC family historian
New York Times logo 1
“This discovery is just an additional reminder of how interwoven we are as Americans,” Mr. Honora said in a text message late Thursday. “I hope that it will highlight the long history of Black Catholics, both free and enslaved, in this country, which includes the Holy Father’s family.”

Richard Fausset, New York Times

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More on Pope Leo XIV from HNOC

First Draft

From the French Quarter to the Vatican

Shortly after Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first American pope, HNOC’s Jari C. Honora uncovered a surprising New Orleans connection, revealing the pontiff’s maternal grandparents to be Creoles of color from the Seventh Ward. 

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A boy in white lay garments leads a church procession down the street, followed by other boys in white lay garments wearing crucifixes and holding chalices.
Research

Genealogy Resources

Our experts at the Williams Research Center are available to help you dive into your family history.

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People reading and working at tables in a spacious, well-lit library with high ceilings. Theres a mezzanine level with bookshelves and more seating. Large windows, elegant chandeliers, and a patterned carpet add to the classic ambiance.

Related Stories

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First Draft

What’s the Difference Between Cajun and Creole—Or Is There One?

The answers are tied up in race, class, language, and, of course, history.

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First Draft

The Curious Mourning Tradition Involving Human Hair

Making keepsakes out of loved ones’ hair may seem gothic now, but hairwork was a Romantic trend of the 19th century.

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Related Collection Highlights

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A sepia-toned vintage photograph of a man with curly dark hair and a mustache. He is dressed in a 19th-century suit with a double-breasted coat and bow tie. The image has an old, slightly worn appearance.

Dr. Louis Charles Roudanez Papers

A rare collection of manuscript essays and family correspondence offers a thrilling look at one of the most influential people in the early struggle for African American civil rights in Louisiana.

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Allison “Tootie” Montana, big chief of the Yellow Pocahontas wearing an elaborate pink and orange feathered costume with detailed beadwork and intricate patterns stands confidently. The outfit includes a large headdress and symbolic designs across the chest and arms.

Michael P. Smith Collection

Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.

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A close-up of an ancient artifact showcasing intricate circular engravings with faded symbols and a star design. The piece is metallic with a worn, darkened surface, suggesting historical significance.

Ursuline Communion Wafer Iron

What this waffle iron look-alike tells us about female agency and spirituality in colonial New Orleans

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Related News

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A boy in white lay garments leads a church procession down the street, followed by other boys in white lay garments wearing crucifixes and holding chalices.
HNOC in the News

NPR: Why Black Catholics in New Orleans Feel a Special Connection to Pope Leo XIV

June 5, 2025
HNOC family historian Jari Honora spoke with “All Things Considered” about the new pope’s Creole ancestry and what it means for residents of the 7th Ward.
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HNOC, OperaCreole, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presented Musical Louisiana 2025 at St. Louis Cathedral.
HNOC in the News

Gambit: Musical Louisiana Concert Highlights Works of Underrecognized Creole Composers

March 2, 2026
Get an in-depth preview of HNOC’s upcoming “Echoes of Innovation” concert (March 4), with commentary from museum staff and community partners.
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A headshot of Daniel Hammer, President and CEO of the Historic New Orleans Collection. The museum's courtyard can be seen in the background.
HNOC in the News

WWL Radio: Daniel Hammer Discusses Pope Leo XIV and Upcoming Exhibitions

June 2, 2025
HNOC’s president and CEO went on the Newell Normand Show to talk about the organization’s role in discovering the ancestry of the new pope and much more.
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Related Books

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Cover of Afro-Creole Poetry: In French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War-Era Newspapers. Features a circular design on a background of faded text. Includes A Bilingual Edition and contributors Clint Bruce and Angel Adams Parham.

Afro-Creole Poetry in French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War–Era Newspapers

translated and introduced by Clint Bruce
with a foreword by Angel Adams Parham

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now
The image shows a book titled Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood by Fatima Shaik. The cover features a vintage, worn notebook with a marbled design and a paper label.

Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood

by Fatima Shaik

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now
Book cover of Call Me Larry by Larry Bagneris and Ryan Gomez. Features a black and white photo of a man in a suit, framed by a rainbow-colored border against a black background. Subtitled A Creole Mans Triumph over Racism and Homophobia.

Call Me Larry: A Creole Man’s Triumph over Racism and Homophobia

by Larry Bagneris

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now

More News from HNOC

Bunny Matthews painting the set of Da Vic and Nat’ly Show, April 1985, photograph by Andrew Boyd.

WWNO’s “The Reading Life” Features Authors of HNOC’s Upcoming Bunny Matthews Book

Host Susan Larson interviews authors Alison Fensterstock and Michael Tisserand about the legendary artist and their book “Bunny Mathews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions.”
Learn More
A black and white double exposure image featuring a landscape with trees and a person standing on a path, pointing. The overlay includes a classical building with columns. Moss hangs from the trees, creating an atmospheric effect.

Country Roads Magazine Examines the Clarence John Laughlin Archive at HNOC

The article explores the surrealist photographer’s archive as viewed as an architectural survey of the Gothic south.
Learn More
A musician plays an Aeolian Organ at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

WVUE Feature Explores HNOC’s Restored Aeolian Pipe Organ

In its “Heart of Louisiana” segment, Fox 8’s Dave McNamara examines what makes the cutting-edge piece of 1920s technology so special.
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A press photograph of an inmate cell inside Orleans Parish Prison. Three Black men can be seen lying on metal rack beds and another man is partially visible lying on a cot on the ground. Newspapers, empty milk cartons, candy boxes, and cups can be seen on a shelf beneath the window.

HNOC Book “Captive State” Receives Southeastern Museum Conference Publication Award

The 2025 publication was awarded Second Place (Silver) by the SEMC Publications Competitions jury.
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Amanda McFillen, HNOC Director of Audience Engagement, speaking on NOLA Now about Museum Month activities happening now at the museum.

NOLA Now: HNOC Offering Free Tours and Special Perks During Museum Month

Organized by New Orleans & Company each August, members of participating local museums receive free access to all other participating institutions throughout the month.
Learn More
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