What was once an average home in Chicago's south suburbs has now received national attention for being the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV. The Dolton Village Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to take control of the house at 212 E. 142nd Pl. Village leaders called the purchase a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Officials in Dolton, Ill., called the purchase a rare opportunity. But some residents questioned whether the village, grappling with a deficit and potholes, could afford it.

A village in Chicago’s south suburbs is poised to purchase Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home after its board voted unanimously on Tuesday to take control of the property.

Pope Leo XIV has created history as the first-ever American-born leader of the Catholic Church. For the first time since his inauguration, the pontiff has opened up about her childhood, the early days he spent in Chicago.

Since white smoke billowed in May from the Sistine Chapel and Pope Leo XIV was elected Pope Francis' successor, the new pope's childhood home — a small, two-story house in Dolton, Illinois, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Chicago — has drawn visitors from across the country with many treating it as a pilgrimage site.

The Dolton Village Board unanimously voted to acquire Pope Leo XIV's childhood home, attracting pilgrims and raising local excitement and financial concerns.

Dolton officials are moving ahead with plans to buy Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in the village, hoping to snap up the modest brick home that has gained international attention ahead of a

Pope Leo XIV had warm praise for a group of Irish teachers, who he described as ‘models of faith’, during a meeting at the Vatican yesterday. The pontiff met with a delegation of teachers from Ireland and the UK,

If you’re planning a pilgrimage to the pope’s hometown this summer, keep in mind that Dolton never asked to be considered remarkable. Except, in its own way, it is. Just like wherever it is you