31 Aug

2024

The End of the Churches: Whither Most Precious Blood Church?

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Parishioners at Most Precious Blood, a 120-year-old Church in Little Italy that is at the heart of the annual San Gennaro festival each September, were told they were going to be assigned a pastor that they will share with an East Village parish. The move comes after Cardinal Dolan rescinded its ten year merger with the Basilica of Old St. Patrick Cathedral on Jan. 1.

Parishioners of Most Precious Blood…. were told on Jan 14 that the church is not for sale presently and that a pastor from a church in the East Village will now jointly administer both parishes. ”The building is not for sale,” Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese said of the building on 113 Baxter St. which also has a door onto Mulberry St. 1)

Cardinal Dolan’s decree only mentions as supporting reasons an “evaluation” and the fact that Most Precious Blood and Old St. Patrick’s are “too different” to continue the merger. 2)

Most Precious Blood church is a veritable treasury of Italian statues and devotions. Indeed, recently new ones from other closed parishes have been added. The church has also been important to the New York Vietnamese community. The St. Hugh of Cluny Society has sponsored several masses there – in connection with the San Gennaro festival and otherwise. 3) We hope this historic church continues in existence and remains accessible – also outside festival times.

The rectory of the parish and a small courtyard fronted on Mulberry Street, with its crowd of tourists. A few years ago the rectory was sold and luxury apartments built in its stead (Photo 8/21/2024)
Previously there was a garden with statues leading from Mulberry Street to the church. Despite what the article quoted above claims, I could not discover a way from Mulberry Street to Precious Blood Church (after the sale of the rectory.) (Photo 2009)
The Baxter Street Facade.
  1. Kelly, Keith J., “Fate Still Up in Air: Historic Little Italy Church Will Share Pastor with E. Village Church,” Our Town Downtown(1/23/2024) (accessed 8/31/2024
  2. “Decree rescinding the Decree of Merger of the Territorial Parish of Saint Patrick Old Cathedral and the Personal Parish of Most Precious Blood, New York” (1/1/2024) (accessed 8/31/2024)
  3. E.g., The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, “Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows at Most Precious Blood Church” ( 9/16/2018).

Published in The Churches of New York