What was once an overlooked property has now become Dolton’s unexpected lifeline. With Pope Leo XIV’s election drawing nationwide interest to his former home, the village sees an opportunity to attract tourism and rebuild its reputation.

Turkey’s first lady, Emine Erdogan (@EmineErdogan), has met with Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) in the Vatican, the country’s presidency said on July 2. The meeting was held during Erdogan’s visit to attend the “Fraternal Economy Session on Ethical Multilateralism” programme hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

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.