| Church of the Most Precious Blood | |
|---|---|
 View along Baxter Street (2013) | |
 | |
| 40°43′04″N73°59′56″W / 40.717778°N 73.998902°W /40.717778; -73.998902 | |
| Location | 113 Baxter Street,Manhattan, New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | oldcathedral |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of New York |
| Parish | St. Patrick's Old Cathedral |
TheChurch of the Most Precious Blood is aRoman Catholicparish located inNew York City. The parish is under the authority of theArchdiocese of New York, and is theNational Shrine Church ofSan Gennaro. Located at 113Baxter Street with an additional entrance onMulberry Street, the Church of the Most Precious Blood is part ofManhattan'sLittle Italy neighborhood. The Most Precious Blood parished merged withOld St. Patrick's Cathedral parish, and the two churches share priests and administrative staff.[1]
The parish of the Most Precious Blood was established in 1888 as a National Parish to serve the rapidly growing number of Italian immigrants in Lower Manhattan. Building of the church was begun by theScalabrini Fathers around 1891. The Scalabrini Order built the foundation but ran out of funding. TheFranciscans then took over the parish and completed the church building in 1904.[1]
Located just north ofFive Points, it was in a rough neighborhood. In July 1898 Father Buonaventura Piscopo's efforts to combat immoral behavior in the area prompted death threats.
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev. Father Julius Arcese | 1892-1897 |
| Rev. Father Athanasius Butelli | 1897-1900 |
| Rev. Father Ubaldus Maravalla | 1900-1902 |
| Rev. Father Bernadino Polizzo | 1902-1909 |
| Rev. Father Romano Simoni | 1909-1917 |
| Rev. Father Pacifus Savastano | 1917-1925 |
| Rev. Father Augustine Cioffi | 1925-1927 |
| Rev. Father Gregory Liucci | 1927-1929 |
| Rev. Father Albert Matteucci | 1929-1934 |
| Rev. Father Felix Mancini | 1934-1940 |
| Rev. Father Edward Salerno | 1940-1946 |
| Rev. Father Cyprian Lauletta | 1946-1949 |
| Rev. Father Martin Battipaglia | 1949-1950 |
| Rev. Father Anthony Cioe | 1950-1952 |
| Rev. Father Lucian Sciaraffa | 1952-1955 |
| Rev. Father Joseph Montgna | 1955-1958 |
| Rev. Father Victor Cesario | 1958 - |
During theFeast of San Gennaro, which is held yearly in September, a celebratoryMass is held at the church on the September 19th the feast day of San Gennaro. After the Mass, a statue ofSan Gennaro is taken from its home within the church on a procession through the streets of Little Italy.[3]
Most Precious Blood is home to several vibrant religious societies in addition to the Figli di San Gennaro, including: the Community of Sant Egidio, and the San Angelo Society.[1] Besides the strong Italian tradition, the Vietnamese congregation has also grown in recent years. The Church is home to the Vietnamese Arts and Learning Cultural Center.
The Saint Rocco of Potenza Society was originally founded in 1889 at the now demolishedSt. Joachim's Church on Roosevelt Street. It then moved toSt. Joseph Church on Monroe Street, but with the merger in 2015 of St. Joseph's with theChurch of the Transfiguration on Mott Street, the Society is now based at the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood.[4]
Due to manpower shortages, in March 2014, the Franciscans withdrew from Most Precious Blood and it came under diocesan administration.[5] In 2015, the church became part of the parish ofSt. Patrick's Old Cathedral. Mass is celebrated at Most Precious Blood on Wednesdays and Sundays. In 2018, the parish rectory onMulberry Street was listed for sale.[6]
During theExtraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, from December 8, 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, to November 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King, was one of the sites of theHoly doors.[1]
The church was designed byWilliam Schickel & Company, who provided an Italian Franciscan style structure. The marble main and side altars are by Borgia Marble Works of New York. The interior is decorated in Neapolitan Baroque style.Donatus Buongiorno created thirty oil painting murals for the walls and ceiling. The building was renovated in 1995 by the Gargiulo Brothers Construction Company of Mount Vernon, to repair damage suffered from water leakage and general disrepair. The Church was re-consecrated byArchbishop John Cardinal O'Connor on February 7, 1997.[7][8]
