Ave Maria!
“People say, ‘Wow!’ when they walk in,” Father Walter Tonelotto enthused as we talked about the church he pastors, Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii Church in New York City.
That jaw-dropping response happens upon entering the beautiful shrine-like church, which celebrates by its name what the universal Church has for centuries: the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is Oct. 7.
The date is particularly memorable for this church because it was dedicated on the Oct. 7 feast day 85 years ago, in 1928.
Located between Sixth and Seventh Avenues in Greenwich Village, the church is a lovely testament to Our Lady and the immigrants who have long worshipped here.
Immigrants’ Haven
Since its founding in 1892, this parish has served New York immigrants, always reminding them of the importance of the Rosary.
It was founded by a missionary from the Scalabrini Fathers, the order that has administered the parish for all these years. For decades, the parish was the anchor for Italian immigrants who settled in this section of the city, as well as their descendants.
The new arrivals were greeted with a touch of
