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, was sold by its current owner for $375,000.
The board of a Chicago suburb where Pope Leo XIV grew up voted “yes” early July to purchasing his childhood home just days before the property was due to be sold off at auction to the highest bidder.
According to reports, the Dolton Village Board has reached a deal with the property’s current owner, Pawel Radzik, to purchase the home for an undisclosed amount, although its attorney, Burt Odelson, noted that the sum was “significantly lower than what [the seller] thought they would get.”
It’s understood that the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which was purchased by the Pope’s parents in 1949, will now be turned into an historical landmark.
Prior to that meeting, the property had been listed for auction with Paramount Realty USA, with bids originally due to close on June 18, although that date was later extended until July 17 in order to give interested parties more time to do their due diligence, the company previously revealed to Realtor.com.
Bids on the home started at $250,000, although some predicted that the dwelling could sell for more than $1 million because of its impressive legacy.
That auction now will be called off altogether after Radzik and his real estate agent, Steve Budzik, agreed on a deal with the Village of Dolton.
Pope Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost, spent several years living in the small dwelling in Dolton. His father, Louis Prevost, sold the property in 1996, according to records, after which it was sold on just two other occasions.
