The View" co-host Sunny Hostin expressed her excitement for Pope Leo XIV after discovering his maternal grandparents were described as people of color on government documents.

When news broke that Pope Leo XIV had Black and Creole ancestry, the internet practically broke. How could this white man be so deeply woven into the American south? But Black folks know the history of “white passing” is more common than you think.

The pope's Creole roots in New Orleans are a source of pride among the city's Black Catholics. But the revelation also recalls a painful chapter in the city's past. “In New Orleans, everyone treats visitors as family.

Political figures around the world have congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, after his election on Thursday, May 8, as Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago and a dual U.

“CBS Mornings” went straight to Pope Leo’s family to confirm Honora’s discovery. In a May 9 interview, the new pontiff’s older brother, John Prevost, told host Gayle King that he’s not completely sure about the family’s Black connection because it wasn’t something they frequently talked about.

Pope Leo XIV's family tree reflects America's complex racial history, according to records obtained by ABC News.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, has Creole roots. That is raising awareness about the complexity of the Creole identity in America.

In Chicago, New Orleans and beyond, elated worshipers and priests celebrated their immediate sense of connection with Pope Leo.