Church of the Most Precious Blood (Manhattan)

The Church of the Most Precious Blood was established in the late nineteenth century as a response to the marginalization of Italian immigrants. At the time, established New York City churches frequently refused to allow these newcomers to worship in their sanctuaries, often forcing them to practice their faith in dark, cramped basements. The Vatican issued a special decree in eighteen eighty-eight to create this national parish specifically to provide a dignified space for the Italian community. When the construction of this building began, the surrounding area was a notorious, crime-ridden district known as the Five Points, where even local police were cautious to venture after dark.