Pope Leo XIV's childhood home
| Pope Leo XIV's childhood home | |
|---|---|
 The house in 2025 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Private residence |
| Location | 212 East 141st Place Dolton, Illinois, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°38′18″N 87°36′59″W / 41.6384°N 87.6165°W |
| Completed | 1949 |
| Owner | Prevost family (formerly) Village of Dolton (current) |
Pope Leo XIV's childhood home, also known as 212 East 141st Place, is a brick house in Dolton, Illinois, United States, that was the childhood home of Robert Francis Prevost, the future Pope Leo XIV. Following Prevost's election to the papacy in 2025, the village of Dolton purchased the home.
History
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom, brick house at 212 East 141st Place was owned by Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Agnes Martínez Prevost for nearly fifty years.[1] They purchased the home new in 1949, paying $42 a month for the mortgage.[2] They raised their three children here; Louis Martín Prevost, John Joseph Prevost, and Robert Francis Prevost (Pope Leo XIV).[1] The future pope used to play pretend as a Catholic priest in the house, using the family's ironing board as an altar.[3] The family attended Mass at Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in nearby Riverdale.[3] Robert Prevost, born in 1955, lived full-time in the house until 1969, when he boarded at St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan.[4]
The Prevost family sold the house in 1996, and its ownership changed multiple times in the subsequent years. It was ultimately purchased as a flip property in 2024 and listed for sale for around $200,000 in early 2025, but was taken off the market by the owner after Robert Prevost's election as Pope Leo XIV.[2][5] The house was put up for auction in May 2025 with bidding starting at $250,000.[6] The village government of Dolton announced plans to take ownership of the house and collaborate with the Archdiocese of Chicago to preserve its history and make it into a historic site that will be open to the public.[1] In a letter sent by the village attorney to the property company that owns the home, the village made known their plan to purchase the home or buy it by invoking eminent domain.[1] Nearby residents expressed worry about the purchase of the house by the village; the area had a poverty rate of 20 percent in 2023, and concerns were raised about debt and deteriorating infrastructure, and whether the house would bring in revenue and be of benefit to locals.[7] However, CBS News reported that most residents were supportive.[8] The village's board of trustees voted unanimously in July 2025 to put an offer on the house.[2] They purchased the house later that month for $375,000.[9][7]
References
- ^ a b c d Davis, Miranda (July 10, 2025). "Pope Leo's Former Home Sells to Chicago Suburb at Premium". Bloomberg. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c Treisman, Rachel (July 3, 2025). "Pope Leo's scandal-plagued hometown sees a bright future in buying his childhood home". NPR. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b Kawash, Maher; Horng, Eric; Hope, Leah (May 8, 2025). "Dolton neighbor told young Cardinal Robert Prevost he would be pope someday, New Lenox brother says". ABC7 Chicago. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ Goldsborough, Bob (May 12, 2025). "Pope Leo XIV's boyhood home in Dolton was on the market until Thursday. What comes next for the house?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ^ Waade, Stephanie; Hughes, Rob; Horng, Eric (May 9, 2025). "Exploring Pope Leo XIV's deep roots on Chicago's South Side, south suburbs". ABC7 Chicago. Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the original on May 22, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "Pope Leo's childhood home in Dolton now up for auction". ABC7 Chicago. Chicago, Illinois. May 16, 2025. Archived from the original on July 24, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b Orendain, Simone (July 11, 2025). "Village of Dolton buys Pope Leo's boyhood home as pilgrims visit and pray". OSV News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ Christian, Gina (July 7, 2025). "Town officials vote to buy, renovate Pope Leo's childhood home as 'historical site'". Catholic Star Herald. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ Elwood, Patrick (July 14, 2025). "See inside Pope Leo's childhood home in Dolton". WGN-TV. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved July 31, 2025.