Gifts left for Pope Leo XIV disappear from outside his childhood home in Dolton, Illinois
Sacred gifts, or public nuisance? Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, is attracting new attention, this time for the gifts and offerings left by visitors, but not everyone likes them.
Since then-Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope last month, many people have visited his childhood home in Dolton, and left candles, rosaries, bible verses, crosses, and other offerings.
But a neighbor said someone threw most of them out, and she's concerned it could happen again. As of Tuesday, all that was left outside the home were two candles and one small cross.
Neighbor Donna Sagna Davis said the rest of the items that had been left outside the home were removed, and when she asked where they went, someone pointed her to the police department.
A Dolton police commander acknowledged that she had thrown the items away.
On a horseshoe-shaped block, the simple brick home where Pope Leo grew up stirs emotion and brings big crowds.
Davis has been acting as a welcome wagon to many of the people who stop by, playing music from her window, and keeping watch over the property as visitors like Shirley Roberson stop by.
"To me, it's nice. It's historic," she said. "And it's so close to me."
Roberson took only photos and new memories when she visited, but other visitors have left offerings and gifts.
A few weeks ago, a small display of candles, flowers, and a rosary with a crucifix had accumulated outside the home, at the same time officials with the Village of Dolton indicated their plan to acquire the property by sale or eminent domain powers – essentially acquiring the home in exchange for a fair market price.
But those offerings are now gone.
"Somebody that witnessed told me that one of the police officers had taken the stuff, and I was like, 'What?'" Davis said. "When I got to the police station, she told me that she threw it in the garbage."
Davis said there is a lot of trash in Dolton that could be cleaned up, but she doesn't understand why they started on private property.
"There's a lot of areas that has trash. I'm looking at trash right now on the ground, but I don't consider … an element of worship to be trash at all," she said. "I was trying to get the stuff back. I tried, but I wasn't able to get everything back."
The seller's real estate agent confirmed they have not removed any offerings left at the home, adding that a potential sale to the village has stalled, stating, "I have called and left messages for village attorney who was handling this. There was a village meeting last night, this was not even mentioned."
That agent said the village's letter announcing their plan to acquire the property "was a bold move... before even talking to the seller directly."
The police commander involved confirmed she took the items left outside the home, acknowledging some were thrown away.
She said it's a safety issue, and the items were cleared to discourage theft, adding there are no plans to remove any further items, so long as the display remains small and tidy.
The house is still listed as for sale by auction, with final bids due in 15 days.
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