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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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

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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.