In a divine twist, Madonna just discovered a jaw-dropping family connection - she’s related to Pope Leo.
The Queen of Pop has had a rocky relationship with the Catholic church ever since her grand debut in 1982.
The ‘Like a Virgin’ hit-maker was raised and confirmed Catholic, however, the pop icon’s artistic expression has gotten her into some hot water with the Catholic Church.
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Madonna has often used religious iconography in her work, including wearing crucifix jewellery with a bra and mesh top in the '80s, to kissing a saint in the 'Like a Prayer' video, and performing strapped to a crucifix on her Confessions Tour.
Her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour was once criticised by Pope John Paul II who urged the public not to attend, calling it ‘one of the most satanic shows in the history of humanity’, while her 2006 Confessions tour was called a 'blasphemous challenge to the faith and a profanation of the cross' by Cardinal Ersilio Tonini (via The Guardian).
Hopefully the current pope, Leo XIV, who was elected on May 8 2025, is a Rebel Heart, as it turns out he is actually related to the music icon.
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Their shared connection was discovered in a new interactive article by The New York Times in collaboration with American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami.
The research reveals Pope Leo XIV’s genealogy from both his mother’s and father’s sides, with Madonna and the Pope sharing a common Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre who was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
He also has other famous ‘Canadian-derived distant cousins’, including Angelina Jolie, Hilary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, Pierre and former Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
Now, that'd be an interesting family reunion.
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To celebrate her new family connection, Madonna shared a snap alongside her father Silvio Ciccone while referencing her iconic hit ‘Vogue’.
“Silvio! We’re related to the Pope! Strike a pose!” Madonna captioned the black-and-white picture.
It was three years ago when Madonna reached out to Pope Francis, who died on April 21 this year, to mend her relationship with the Catholic church.
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'The Confessions on a Dance Floor' singer sent a tweet which read: “I’m a good Catholic. I swear! I mean I don’t Swear! It’s been a few decades since my last confession.
"Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters? I’ve been excommunicated three times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely, Madonna.”
Fingers crossed Madonna and Pope Leo hit it off.
Topics: Madonna, Catholic Church, Pope Leo, Celebrity, News
Gregory Robinson