No, it’s not a viral meme or a rogue AI-generated family tree—it’s real. In a plot twist worthy of a Netflix documentary, newly elected Pope Leo XIV, who officially took office on May 8 this year, is a distant cousin of none other than the Queen of Pop herself—Madonna.

This papal-popstar revelation came to light through a genealogical deep-dive conducted by The New York Times, which traced the Pope’s ancestral roots to Italy, Spain, and France. Some of his forebears migrated to Quebec in the 1650s, and it’s through one such Canadian connection—Louis Boucher de Grandpre—that the surprising Madonna link was unearthed.

As expected, the internet wasted no time diving headfirst into this holy-meets-hitmaker crossover. Social media was ablaze with divine puns and retro throwbacks like: “Pope and Pop Artist,” “Papa Don’t Preach—But He Might Be Related,” and “Madonna – Like a Prayer ft. Leo XIV.” There were even wild suggestions of a reconciliation appointment or, heaven forbid, an exorcism. One user quipped, “They look like twins!” while another teased, “Pope don’t preach…unless it’s karaoke night.”

But the Madonna connection isn’t the Pope’s only celebrity tie. The papal DNA, it turns out, is rather star-studded. Pope Leo XIV is also distantly related to Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—essentially making him the Kevin Bacon of the Vatican.

Madonna, however, has had quite the complicated history with the Catholic Church. Just three years ago, she publicly appealed to Pope Francis for a meeting to discuss her three excommunications. In a cheeky May 2022 message, she wrote, “Hello @Pontifex Francis —I’m a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don’t Swear!… I’ve been excommunicated 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely, Madonna.”

With Pope Leo XIV now revealed as her spiritual (and literal) cousin, perhaps that long-awaited meeting might actually happen—complete with confessions, communion, and maybe even a remix.