Spanish Roots of Pope Leo XIV’s Maternal Family Confirmed
The maternal family origins of Pope Leo XIV have been traced to northwestern Spain following detailed archival research conducted in the region of Galicia, shedding new light on the pontiff’s family history. A canon archivist at Vigo Cathedral has confirmed that the Pope’s maternal lineage can be linked to parishes in the province of Pontevedra, based on baptismal and parish records dating back to the seventeenth century. The research was initiated after references to Spanish ancestry appeared in a recent biography of the Pope, prompting an in depth examination of local ecclesiastical archives. According to the findings, several generations of the Pope’s maternal ancestors lived in the La Louriña area, an исторical region known for its long standing parish documentation and migratory ties to the broader Spanish world.
The investigation led researchers to the parish archives of San Salvador, where records extend further back than neighboring parishes. There, archivists identified a baptismal entry from 1639 for Benito de Bastos Lorenzo, a confirmed direct ancestor on the maternal side of Pope Leo XIV. The record places him nine generations before the current pontiff, establishing him as a fifth great ancestor in the maternal line. This discovery provided concrete documentary evidence supporting the Spanish roots of the Pope’s family, linking them firmly to Galicia. Archivists noted the precision and preservation of the baptismal registers, which allowed for careful verification of lineage through multiple generations, reinforcing the credibility of the genealogical connection.
Further archival material details the later movement of this ancestor beyond Spain, reflecting broader historical migration patterns of the era. Records indicate that Benito de Bastos Lorenzo later settled in Havana in the late seventeenth century, at a time when Cuba was under Spanish rule and experiencing economic growth linked to sugar production. From there, descendants of Galician families often continued onward to Mexico and eventually to what is now the United States. Researchers believe this transatlantic migration helps explain how the maternal line of Pope Leo XIV eventually became established in the Americas. The current findings are part of a wider project to compile a comprehensive genealogy of the pontiff, with ongoing research in several Galician parishes. Archivists have indicated that the work may continue through later generations, potentially identifying living relatives who share the same ancestral roots.
