HNOC in the News

CNN: Pope Leo XIV has Creole Lineage, New Orleans Genealogist Says

May 9, 2025

Jari C. Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, shared his research and records with CNN.

Pope Leo’s maternal grandparents, Joseph and Louise Martinez, are listed as Black in the 1900 Census. HNOC / Jari Honora

“The family were free people of color prior to the Civil War. When they moved to Chicago between 1910 and 1912, they ‘passed’ into the White world. And that’s OK. I think that’s important to bring out that this is not accusatory . . . . It’s not meant to be a sort of ‘I got you’ moment. This is taking a long view of history and showing you things that people did hold on to, and their faith is one of them.”

Jari C. Honora, HNOC family historian

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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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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.