Visitors flock Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home near Chicago: Video
In Dolton, Illinois, a modest village near Chicago, visitors are flocking to the unassuming childhood home of Pope Leo XIV, retracing the early steps of the newly elected pontiff.
The once-vacant single-family house and the nearby church he attended have become points of reflection and pride for many.
Locals recall the pope’s working-class roots and how the neighborhood church served as a cornerstone of community life. “It’s just mind-blowing to think that it started here in our humble little town,” Sally Rock, 65, who grew up in Dolton told the AFP.
Others, like former resident Lea Morgan, expressed concern about the area’s decline, describing it as “dangerous” today. Still, she holds onto hope: “Now that the Pope is here and he’s from this neighborhood, maybe our prayer for peace is being answered.”
