One day in June 1900 he visited the census of the people’s home New Orleans Joseph and Louis Martinez, grandparents of Pope Leo XIV. They lived on the street North Prieur, north of the French quarter, the neighborhood considered the cradle of Louisian’s creature colored people.
Joseph N. Martinez was recorded as a black man, born in “Hayti”. His wife, two daughters and aunt, were also marked “B” in a column indicating “color or race”.
Ten years later, the census was knocked again. The family grew – now there were six daughters. Other things have also changed: the place of birth of Mr. Martinez was mentioned this time as Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. And the family race is recorded as “W” for White.
This simple switch, from “B” to “W”, suggests a complex and very American story.
For most of the 19th century, New Orleans operated under the racial system, which distinguished between white people, black people and people with mixed race, such as Martinesses. But at the beginning of the 20th century, Jim Crow was on the daily order and tended to deal with black and white, with countless restrictions stored on any color.
Selection of Robert Frances Pestrost as the first Pope from the United States and the subsequent revelation of his Creole RootsThey brought these historical reality to the forefront – and an interview with Pope’s brother John Pestost, 71, joined them to the present.
Late Thursday, Mr. Prestost, who lives in the suburbs of Chicago, said the New York Times that his brothers always consider themselves white. As for her mother, he said, “I really couldn’t tell you for sure, maybe she just said Spanish.”
Thus, the story of the American racial rigidity also indicates some fluency, limited by often a harsh racist past that is an inevitable part of the Earth’s story. New Orleans is not unique in its exposure to these stories. But he knows them well.
Jari Honor, the local genealogist and historian in the historic New Orleans collection, the Museum in the French Quarter, discovered the new roots of the Orleans of the New Pope on Thursday. Since then, he and others, even in the Dominican Republic, have pushed to find out as much as possible about Leo family history.
In addition to the census records, a large part of the obtained information came through the Archdiocese in New Orleans, which maintains thousands of records dating back to 1720.
Mrs. Beeman was particularly excited when she revealed a record that Eugenie Grambois, Pope’s great -grandmother, was baptized in 1840 in the cathedral of St. Louis, a basilica poured in the heart of the French Quarter, which is one of the most famous landmarks of the city. Mrs. Beeman called her mother to share the news.
At a special mass in the cathedral on Friday, Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans warned. The predecessor of the Pope received his first sacrament in the same script, which is still in the back of the church.
“There are many connections we have with him,” said the Archbishop in his homily.
Similar feelings were expressed across New Orleans, especially among those who share Le’s Creole Heritage and now feel a special connection with the new Pope.
“It is like a reward from a God who has been given to us for everything we have gone,” said Denease Sorapuro, who identifies himself as a creature and from the ancestors of Irish, Italian, Basque and Indian heritage.
On Friday, Mrs Beeman and other scientists and genealogs continued digging and hoped to identify even more Pope of the Pedigree in Louisiana and on. “It looks like it just continues,” she said.
One of the main questions that historians hope to solve is the birthplace of the Pope grandfather. Although he married the old Orleans family, the records suggest that Joseph Martinez could be relatively new in the city.
His marriage certificate corresponds to the 1900 census recording, which shows that he was born in Haiti. But other documents mention the Dominican Republic or Louisian as his place of birth.
Naying that this became the target of historians in the Caribbean, said Edwin Espinal Hernández, Genealog and headmaster at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre Y Maestra, the Roman Catholic University of Dominican Republic.
Experts still have to find Mr. Martinez’s birth certificate, but they found other hints that he was born in Port-Au-Prince in Haiti, Espinal Hernández said.
Whatever the answer, many in New Orleans knew enough about the roots of the family on Friday to feel more affinity with the Pope.
Michael White, 70, jazz clarinetist, bandleader and retirement educator, who grew up in New Orleans, said Leo’s selection had “shocked and surprised and happy”.
“I think he will get a lot of support below,” Dr. White. “I think it will be not only pride, but you know, desire, help him and hope that things can become better for the Catholic Church, but also for people.”
Mrs. Sorapuru had a modest request. In 1987 he remembers the excitement of the visit of Pope John Paul II. In New Orleans. Leo must also come, she said and chaired the Mass at St. Louis.
As for her, his roots are enough to become New Orleans. And she wants to welcome him home.
Robert Chiarito and Frances The report contributed.
