On Friday, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris for the first papal state visit to France since 2008. The four-day journey marks a significant moment for the Chicago-born pontiff, who is set to explore both his familial heritage and spiritual connections in the country. The itinerary includes popemobile processions, an open-air Mass on the Champs-Élysées, and a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Lourdes.
Observers in France are characterizing the trip as a homecoming for Leo XIV, whose grandmother emigrated from Normandy to the United States more than a century ago, and whose father participated in the D-Day landings eight decades prior. The visit also features a stop in Metz, located in the Lorraine region, which the Pope has identified as the spiritual home of his mentor, a 17th-century monk.
Genealogical research underscores the Pope’s deep ties to France. According to Christopher White, associate director at Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Leo – born Robert Prevost – has French connections on both sides of his family. His surname derives from a French great-grandmother on his father’s side who was born in Normandy, while his mother’s lineage includes French Canadian and French Caribbean roots.
The genealogy platform Geneanet estimates that the Pope is 40 percent French, noting that his ancestry on both parental sides can be traced back to France. A birth certificate from Le Havre confirms that his grandmother, Suzanne Louise Marie Fontaine, was born there on February 2, 1894, to Ernest Auguste Fontaine, a pastry chef’s assistant, and Jeanne Eugénie Prévost.
Suzanne Fontaine emigrated to New York in 1915 during World War I. There, she met Salvatore Riggitano, a married Sicilian immigrant. The couple had two sons but, due to their illegitimate status, they could not use their father’s surname. Instead, the children were named Prevost, after their maternal grandmother. One of these sons, Louis Marius Prevost, born in 1920, served in the US Navy during World War II. He fought in the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944 and later in the Provence landings, achieving the rank of lieutenant by the war’s end.
Although French was spoken within the family shortly after Suzanne’s arrival, the language did not persist through subsequent generations. Martin Dumont, secretary-general of the Research Institute for the Study of Religions (Irer) at Sorbonne University in Paris, noted that the Pope’s French is limited, though he is currently studying the language actively. Dumont also highlighted that the Pope has shown keen interest in his genealogy since his election, consulting with historians and publishers to understand his family origins.
The 71-year-old pontiff has visited his grandmother’s homeland sparingly. He made pilgrimages to Lourdes twice previously: once at age 19 as a student and again at 29 as a young priest. This upcoming visit will see him return to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of the world’s most visited Catholic shrines, on Saturday and Sunday.
Dumont explained that the site holds special significance for Leo XIV due to its emphasis on popular piety, which aligns with the Pope’s missionary background. After spending over 20 years as a missionary in Peru, where he obtained citizenship, Prevost returned to Europe only in his later career. He accompanied Pope Francis to Marseille in 2023 and Corsica in 2024 while serving as prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops.
Beyond his family history, the Pope’s spiritual roots in France are profound. He recently described the writings of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a 17th-century Carmelite monk from Lorraine, as his bedside reading. Leo XIV plans to visit the Catholic Institute of Paris, located on the site of the monastery where Brother Lawrence lived. The Pope views Brother Lawrence’s teachings as a model of surrendering one’s life to God.
Suzanne Fontaine, who passed away in Detroit in 1979 at the age of 85, is survived by three grandchildren: Louis, John, and Robert. It remains unknown whether she ever returned to France after her emigration. As Leo XIV prepares to meet with clergy abuse victims and advocate for peace in Europe, the visit symbolizes a convergence of personal history and spiritual devotion for the first American pope.
Wait, so his grandfather was a D-Day vet? That connects the religious visit directly to the history of liberation. Such a powerful symbolic bridge between faith and freedom.
I am thrilled he is returning to Lourdes! However, I hope the open-air Mass on the Champs-Élysées respects the local sentiment and remains peaceful for everyone.
It is truly fascinating to learn about his French Canadian and Caribbean heritage. The world often forgets how globally diverse the Catholic Church has become.