Does the new pope have Haitian roots?

The new pope’s French-sounding last name, Prevost, intrigued historians who began digging in the archives and discovered the pope had deep roots in Louisiana . Pope Leo XIV, who has not spoken openly about his roots, may have an ancestral connection to Haiti.

His grandfather, Joseph Norval Martinez, may have been born there, though historical records are conflicting. Josue Derosier, a resident of Port-au-Prince and a Catholic, said he while he had no information on the Pope’s possible Haitian roots, he hoped the new pontiff would have Haiti in his prayer "just as Pope Francis always remembered us during our difficult times."

So far, Haitians are only hearing rumors of the Pope’s Creole ancestry via social media, but they hope he will pay special attention to the plight of the Haitian people, who for the last years have been the victims of widespread gang violence, with thousands of homeless and millions suffering from food insecurity.