The white smoke went up on May 8, 2025, and suddenly the world was scrambling to figure out who Robert Francis Prevost was. He stepped onto that balcony as Pope Leo XIV, the first American ever to lead the Catholic Church. But for a lot of people, the first question wasn't about his theology or his stance on the liturgy. It was: what race is the new pope?
Honestly, it’s a complicated answer. If you're looking for a simple box to check, you're gonna be disappointed.
Leo XIV is basically a walking melting pot. While he’s the "American Pope" from Chicago, his DNA is a map of the world. We’re talking Italian, Spanish, French Canadian, and—here is the part that surprised a lot of people—Haitian and Louisiana Creole.
The Chicago Roots and the South Side Story
Robert Prevost was born in 1955 at Mercy Hospital in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. If you know Chicago, you know Bronzeville is legendary for its Black history and culture. He grew up in Dolton, a suburb on the South Side.
His father, Louis, was a school principal. His mother, Mildred Martínez, was a librarian. From the jump, he was surrounded by books and education, but also by a family history that was way more diverse than your average Midwesterner in the fifties.
Breaking Down the Ancestry of Pope Leo XIV
When we talk about what race is the new pope, we have to look at the maternal side of his family tree. This is where things get really interesting. His maternal grandparents moved to Chicago from Louisiana.
Historical records and census data from that era actually list his ancestors as "Black" or "mulatto." This means Pope Leo XIV has African American (Creole) roots. While he identifies as a man of diverse heritage, he is technically the first pope with documented African ancestry in the modern era.
Let’s look at the breakdown of what makes up his background:
- Italian: From his paternal side, carrying that classic Roman Catholic connection.
- Spanish: A strong influence that likely helped him during his decades of missionary work.
- French Canadian: Part of the northern migration patterns common in the Midwest.
- Louisiana Creole & Haitian: The "hidden" part of his heritage that connects him to the African diaspora and the Caribbean.
Why Nationality and Race Get Mixed Up
It’s easy to just say "he’s White" or "he’s American," but that misses the point of who this guy actually is. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Peru. He spent over 20 years in Peru as a missionary, even serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo.
He speaks Spanish fluently. He’s lived in the trenches of poverty in South America. So, while his passport says USA, his cultural identity is deeply rooted in the Global South. This is why many people in Latin America claim him as "one of theirs," even though he was born in the Windy City.
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The Significance of a "Multiracial" Papacy
The Catholic Church is currently shifting its weight toward the Global South. Most Catholics today aren't in Europe or North America; they’re in Africa, Asia, and South America. Having a pope like Leo XIV, who physically and ancestrally represents that shift, is a massive deal.
He isn't just another European prelate. He’s the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine to be elected in centuries. He’s a canon lawyer who actually likes the "spirit" of Vatican II. Most importantly, he’s someone who doesn't fit into a neat racial category.
Comparing the Heritage of Recent Popes
To understand why people are so focused on what race is the new pope, you have to look at who came before him.
Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) was the "Pope of the Americas," but he was ethnically 100% Italian. His parents moved from Italy to Argentina. Before him, Benedict XVI was German. John Paul II was Polish. You have to go back centuries to find anyone who wasn't purely European in their recent lineage.
Leo XIV is different because he’s the first one to acknowledge this complex, multi-ethnic American identity. He has openly talked about his family’s roots in Louisiana and how that shaped his perspective on migration and social justice.
What This Means for the Church in 2026
We are now nearly a year into his papacy, and the "American" label is starting to fade as people see his governing style. He’s been calling for "collegiality"—which is basically church-speak for "let's all work together instead of me being a dictator."
He held an extraordinary consistory in January 2026 where he basically told the cardinals he wanted them to meet once a year. He's trying to decentralize the power of the Vatican.
His background matters here. Because he comes from a mixed heritage and has lived as an immigrant in Peru, he views the world through a lens of "both/and" rather than "either/or." He can talk to a billionaire in New York and a farmer in the Andes and actually relate to both.
Surprising Facts About Leo XIV's Identity
- Voting Records: Before he moved to Rome to work for Pope Francis, he was a registered voter in the Chicago suburbs. He’s even voted in both Democratic and Republican primaries.
- Social Media: He used to be pretty active on X (formerly Twitter), often reposting critiques of harsh immigration policies.
- The Name: He chose "Leo" to honor Pope Leo XIII, who was famous for Rerum Novarum, a document about the rights of the working class. It shows where his heart is.
Actionable Insights: How to Follow the New Papacy
If you want to keep up with how Leo XIV is changing the Church, don't just look at the headlines about his race. Watch his actions.
Follow the General Audiences: Every Wednesday, he’s doing a series on Vatican II. This is where he lays out his "roadmap" for the future.
Look at the Consistories: He is currently choosing new cardinals. If you want to see if the Church is becoming more diverse, look at where those new cardinals are coming from. He’s already leaning heavily into Africa and Asia.
Read "Evangelii Gaudium": This was a document by Pope Francis, but Leo XIV has made it his "programmatic document." It explains his focus on missionary work and the poor.
The question of what race is the new pope is just the beginning of a much larger story about a Church that is finally starting to look like the people it serves. He’s a bit of everything—which is exactly what the modern world looks like.
To stay updated on the latest Vatican appointments and the upcoming 2026 World Children's Day in Rome, you can monitor the official Vatican News portal or subscribe to the National Catholic Reporter for in-depth analysis of Leo XIV's ongoing reforms.