Official biographies don’t always reveal the full story. Sometimes, threads of memory intertwine in unexpected ways, uncovering forgotten origins, hidden identities, and paths no one could have imagined. This appears to be the case with the current Pope, a figure long presented with a clear and unwavering profile: American, with deep roots in the culture and structure of the Church in the United States.
However, in recent weeks, a series of unexpected revelations have begun to disrupt this perfect narrative. What started as mere social media whispers and genealogical forum hypotheses has now become a serious international matter.
Unveiling Giovanni Riggitano
A deep, independent investigation conducted by researchers in the U.S., France, and Italy has brought to light a name absent from any official biography: Giovanni Riggitano. According to documents found in late 19th and early 20th-century immigration archives and church records, Giovanni Riggitano was born in the coastal town of Milazzo, southern Sicily. He is believed to be the biological grandfather of the current Pope.
At a young age, Giovanni left Italy, like many others of his time, seeking a better life across the Atlantic. Upon arriving in the U.S., he reportedly changed his identity, becoming John Prevost, a name that sounded more “acceptable” in the new American reality. He began working as a French teacher and later married a French woman named Suzanne Fontaine. From this union, the current Pope’s father was born.
If these details are confirmed – and the documents circulating online are increasingly convincing – it would necessitate a complete rewrite of the Holy Father’s genealogy. Pope Prevost, previously believed to have entirely American roots, would in fact have a history that begins on the shores of Sicily, passes through France, settles in the United States, and now symbolically returns to the Vatican.
The Breakthrough and Reactions
A video that began circulating online marked a turning point in this story. Initially posted by an Italian user, the video contained visual data from old civil registry books in Milazzo, matching the name Giovanni Riggitano and his birth date. Following this, independent researchers took the matter seriously, digging through church archives, lists of ships arriving at the Port of New York, and early 20th-century American census data. The pieces have come together like a mosaic, now taking shape.
At this moment, the Holy See has not issued any official comment, but sources close to church circles have informally acknowledged that “an internal verification process has begun” to clarify the accuracy of the information. Reactions have been mixed. Some have welcomed this new cultural link, which reinforces the Pope’s universal dimension, while others question why this part of his history has been kept secret until now.
For many, this discovery changes nothing fundamental; the Pope remains the Pope, regardless of his grandfather’s surname. However, for those seeking to understand not only the figure but also the formation and cultural depth of the spiritual leader of over a billion believers, this is a significant piece of the mosaic. One thing is certain: the new Pope’s story is no longer what was believed. It begins in a small town in Sicily and, through a silent journey and a changed name, reaches the pinnacle of the Catholic Church.
