The New York Times Magazine: Finding the pope’s roots

Tracing 500 years of the family tree of the first American pontiff.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 15, 2025 On the cover this week: Henry Louis Gates Jr. and a team of genealogists go back 500 years to trace the family tree of Pope Leo XIV, revealing his connections to noblemen, freedom fighters, slaveholders and enslaved people. Illustration by Alex Merto FEATURES Illustration by Alex Merto We Traced Pope Leo XIV's Ancestry Back 500 Years. Here's What We Found. Noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters, slaveowners: what the complex family tree of the first American pontiff reveals. By Henry Louis Gates Jr. Tiziana Fabi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Five Key Discoveries in the Family Tree of Pope Leo XIV We went back 500 years and found his connection to some fascinating people. By Henry Louis Gates Jr. Elinor Carucci for The New York Times He Has Months Left. His Son Hopes an A.I. Version of Him Can Live On. After Peter Listro was diagnosed with blood cancer, his family decided to make a virtual avatar they can talk to after his death. By Susan Dominus Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi for The New York Times Why the MAGA Right Became Obsessed With the Romanian Election It started with a Russian influence campaign and a canceled vote. Then the American right showed up. By Nicholas Casey Malike Sidibe for The New York Times How a D.C. Prep-School Kid Became Hollywood's Most Dependable Bruiser Jon Bernthal's strange journey taught him to bring a surprising softness to his tough-guy characters. By Irina Aleksander MORE IN THE MAGAZINE The Interview Misty Copeland Changed Ballet. Now She's Ready to Move On. The American Ballet Theater's first Black female principal dancer on everything she's fought for and the decision to end her historic career with the company. 42 MIN LISTEN Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist I Had an Affair With a Politician Who Denies Being Gay. Do I Keep His Secret? Is what happened between us my story to tell? By Kwame Anthony Appiah Illustration by Maisie Cowell Letter of Recommendation I Tried to Avoid Administrative Work. Writing a Novel Was a Poor Way to Do So. Nothing more quickly catapulted me into real life than my project to escape it. By Klara Feenstra Photo illustration by Vanessa Saba Screenland The Strange Rise of the Before-and-After Tragedy Meme Online, people pair ordinary bits of video with news of the life-changing shocks that followed. It can be unnerving — or surprisingly moving. By Joshua Hunt Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas. The Spaghetti 'Pretty Much Every Kid Loves' Spaghetti Napolitan, a Japanese favorite that's stained and seasoned with ketchup, grows up — just a little. By Eric Kim Illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy Judge John Hodgman Is There a Wrong Way to Make Paella? A ruling on how to properly prepare the iconic Spanish dish. By John Hodgman Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. For narrated versions of our articles and more audio journalism, download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018