HNOC in the News

NOLA.com: Pope Leo XIV has Roots in New Orleans’s 7th Ward

May 8, 2025

Less than two hours after his papacy was announced, HNOC family historian Jari C. Honora traced the new pope’s lineage back to the Crescent City.

Marriage records from HNOC’s archives connect the new Pope to New Orleans. Courtesy of Jari Honora

“When Honora heard the last name ‘Prevost,’ he assumed Leo XIV’s roots could be Quebecois or even Acadien. But it turned out the family of Prevost’s mother, Mildred Martinez, was ‘entirely from New Orleans,’ Honora said. In less than an hour, Honora—who works for the Historic New Orleans Collection—was able to track the pope’s roots to the 7th Ward. ”

Hannah Levitan, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune

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More on Pope Leo XIV from HNOC

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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.

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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.

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The ebullient nun documented her cloisters, sisters, and pupils with care and skill. In doing so she became the earliest known woman to photographically record daily life in New Orleans

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Fortier Embroidery Sampler

A 200-year-old piece of needlework by a young student at the Ursuline Convent sheds light on the lives of Catholic Creole girls in early 19th-century Louisiana.

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Ursuline Music Manuscript

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

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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.

A screen capture of HNOC historian Jari Honora appearing on CBS Mornings.

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CBS Mornings: What to Know about Pope Leo XIV’s Ancestry

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It was recently revealed that new pope has Louisiana Creole ancestry. Jari Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, made the discovery and joined “CBS Mornings Plus” to explain.

HNOC in the News

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

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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.