Pope Leo’s Illinois childhood home to become tourist site

AFP | London

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Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home has been sold to the village where he grew up, which intends to make it a historical site, local media reported Friday.

The modest brick home in the Chicago suburb of Dolton, population 21,000, was sold by its current owner for $375,000, WGN television said.

It said the owner had bought the house for $66,000 last year -- prior to Pope Leo’s election as the first American pontiff -- and done extensive renovations.

The Dolton village board of trustees voted earlier this month to purchase the three-bedroom house and turn it into an attraction open to the public.

According to WBEZ Chicago radio, the parents of Pope Leo -- born Robert Prevost -- bought the house in 1949 and sold it in 1996.