The pope also shares roots with several politicians. Through one Canadian ancestor, he’s distant cousins with Pierre and Justin Trudeau and Hillary Clinton.

Pope Leo XIV is a notable fan of the Chicago White Sox, a penance for sins if ever there was one. He has Creole roots through family members from New Orleans. He plays pandemic sensation turned New York Times tentpole Wordle daily. Historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. pointed out last week that he's related to many of America's most enduring exports.

Madonna and the new Pope are actually cousins. And “The Material Girl” isn’t the only celebrity who is related to Pope Leo XIV. According to professor and historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., who published in the New York Times, Madonna and Pope Leo are ninth cousins, various times removed.