A Pope Leo XIV-themed bus tour starts Thursday in the Chicago area with stops at his childhood home in Dolton and Holy Name Cathedral on the Near North Side, where his parents were married in 1949.
“We feel like this is an opportunity to help people experience Chicago in a way that allows them to feel more connected to the pope,” said Zach Schnitzer, chief experience officer of the Chicago Pope Tour. “It’s just a massive point of pride for our city, knowing that one of the world’s most important leaders calls our city home.”
Thursday’s 2½-hour tour also includes stops at Pope Leo’s birthplace in Bronzeville, the former Mercy Hospital, and a seminary where he trained for the priesthood, the Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park. The Mercy Hospital buildings where Leo was born in 1955 were demolished in 1968 when the current building opened. Parking lots now occupy the site of the former buildings.
The tour starts at 10 a.m. and costs $65.
In addition to the bus tour, attendees will be provided with a 20% discount at any Aurelio’s Pizza, organizers said. In the past, Pope Leo dined at the eatery’s Homewood restaurant. Aurelio’s recently dubbed one of their pies the “Poperoni.”
A trial run of the tour happened Aug. 3, organizers said, with a pickup location in Homewood. The start of the tour was shifted to Holy Name Cathedral to make it more accessible for people and visitors throughout the Chicago area, organizers said.
The Rev. Andy Matijevic, of Holy Name Cathedral, said there’s been an uptick of visitors to the church since the pope was installed as the first U.S.-born pope in May.
“The pope’s mom was baptized here in 1912, and there’s a picture with the pope, his two older brothers, and his mom standing on our steps,” Matijevic said. “[The Chicago Pope Tour company] asked if the cathedral could be a pickup location, and because it’s outside, it really doesn’t affect what happens inside.”
In early July, the village of Dolton, where the pontiff’s childhood home is located, finalized its purchase of the property. The village bought the house at 212 E. 141st Place for $375,000. The south suburb is attempting to obtain national historic landmark status for the building.
The house has attracted visitors from across the country since May, when Robert Prevost became the first U.S.-born pope.
Additional tours are scheduled through Oct. 11.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before tours start. The tour company also will offer private tours upon request.
To learn more about the tour, visit the Chicago Pope Tour website.