Pope Leo XIV's surprising connection to Justin Bieber and Madonna revealed in new report on family ties
This family connection traces back to Louis Boucher de Grandpré, a Canadian-born ancestor from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
The Pope's shared lineage ties him not only to Madonna and Bieber but also to other notable figures, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, actress Angelina Jolie, and writer Jack Kerouac.
The discovery came as part of a broader family tree research on Pope Leo XIV, who was elected following the death of Pope Francis in May 2025.
Madonna's link to the Pope adds a layer of irony, as the Vatican has previously criticised her, especially after the release of her controversial 'Like a Prayer' music video in 1989. The video, which featured provocative imagery, sparked significant backlash from the Church.
In contrast, Justin Bieber has long been open about his faith, frequently referencing his religious beliefs in public. The "Peaches" singer is a member of the Christian church Churchome and often shares his spiritual thoughts with his followers on social media.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
13 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Sikh repression
Today, Washington DC is hosting the next phase of the Khalistan Referendum being organised by Sikhs for Justice. Thousands are expected to participate, sending a message that New Delhi's efforts to silence the diaspora have failed. For the global Sikh community, the ballot remains the answer to Indian aggression. No UN member state has criminalised these exercises as it is protected under Article 1 of the UN Charter. Democracies too have defended them as legitimate political expression, rejecting India's efforts to brand them as terrorism. New Delhi's response has been increasingly heavy-handed. In June 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared "credible links" of Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Soon after, activist Avtar Singh Khanda died under suspicious circumstances in the UK. In the US, prosecutors charged RAW operatives in a foiled plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Similar networks were uncovered in other countries, where Indian operatives spied on and intimidated Sikh activists. India has also pressed for extraditions of referendum leaders, but Western courts have rejected these attempts, citing insufficient evidence and political motivation. Efforts to block referendum content on digital platforms have equally failed, with Google, YouTube and X refusing Indian demands. Instead, the diaspora has leveraged these spaces to mobilise voters. Meanwhile, the opening of a Sikh embassy in Canada has provided the movement with new diplomatic momentum. Driven by a global community of over 25 million, the Khalistan cause has grown into a broad-based diaspora campaign. Many activists now argue that India's tactics mirror colonial patterns of control over minorities, while its branding of dissent as terrorism reflects a slide towards authoritarianism. By resorting to covert operations and censorship, India risks further isolation. Democracies that once sought closer ties with New Delhi now find themselves compelled to expose its activities and protect political freedoms on their soil.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Toronto stocks subdued as investors await pivotal US-Russia meet
Canada's main stock index was flat on Friday as investors awaited a high-stakes meeting between Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on a potential path to ending the war in Ukraine. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.03% at 27,924.45 points. Among TSX sub-indexes, healthcare led weekly gains after a 3.7% rise on the day, boosted by a 37% weekly jump in Bausch Health Companies, its biggest rise since May 2023. Materials was the biggest drag, down 0.5%, as gold prices traded with caution ahead of the Trump-Putin talks. The stage was set for the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, scheduled for 11 a.m. Alaska time (1900 GMT), to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine that Washington views as a potential path to ending Europe's deadliest war since World War Two. Trump said a second summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy could follow if the talks go well. 'Short-term investors are hoping at least the meeting brings some kind of ceasefire or at least have continuous talks aswe're moving towards the end of the summer,' said Michael Constantino, CEO at Webull Canada. TSX's moves also mimicked Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 index, which was largely flat. However, the blue-chip The Dow Jones Industrial Average took the spotlight as it hit an all-time intraday high. Despite the tepid moves, ongoing expectations for U.S. Federal Reserve easing have kept Canadian equities on track to finish the week higher. The TSX is up 0.5% so far this week. Data on Friday showed Canadian factory sales grew 0.3% in June from May, led by petroleum, coal and food products, while wholesale trade rose 0.7% on gains in food, beverage and tobacco. South of the border, retail sales rose by an expected 0.5% in July, but a spike in import prices raised concerns that U.S. tariffs could fuel inflation in the months ahead.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Lil Yachty slammed over George Floyd lyric previewed during livestream performance
Rapper Lil Yachty is facing widespread criticism after previewing a song on streamer PlaqueBoyMax's channel that included a controversial lyric referencing George Floyd, whose 2020 death in Minneapolis police custody sparked global protests. During the August 14 livestream, the Atlanta-born artist — real name Miles McCollum — rapped, 'Put my knee up on her neck, I went George Floyd,' while others in the room nodded along. The line, which appeared to make a sexual joke using the circumstances of Floyd's killing, quickly drew sharp condemnation across social media. 'This is so ass dawg. You can do better than this,' one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Another asked, 'Mocking one of the most horrific deaths in American history… Why green-light an ignorant bar like this?' Several commenters compared the lyric to past rap controversies, including Lil Wayne's 2013 Emmett Till reference and his 2009 Rodney King lyric, while others called Yachty 'one of the worst rappers' to reach mainstream success. Stephen Jackson calls out Lil Yachty over George Floyd lyrics: "Put my knee up on her neck, I went George Floyd" -Lil Yachty — SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) August 15, 2025 Stephen Jackson, a former NBA player and close friend of Floyd, was tagged in multiple posts criticizing the lyric. One commenter wrote, 'We do not support bunk gibberish like this in the community. All blessings to King George Floyd, his family, and everyone against this disrespectful nonsense.' Floyd, 46, died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes during an arrest. The incident, captured on video, prompted nationwide and global protests against police brutality and racial injustice. As of Thursday, Lil Yachty had not publicly addressed the backlash, adding to the ongoing debate about accountability and boundaries in music lyrics.
