The church of Most Precious Blood on Baxter Street has been merged with the Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mulberry Street but the Archdiocese has turned down a $100,000 donation from the San Gennaro Festival that was earmarked for Most Precious Blood.
The church of Most Precious Blood on Baxter Street has been merged with the Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mulberry Street but the Archdiocese has turned down a $100,000 donation from the San Gennaro Festival that was earmarked for Most Precious Blood. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly)

The organizers of the annual San Gennaro festival said they tried to donate $100,000 for the upkeep of Most Precious Blood, an historic church at the heart of Little Italy. Organizers said they were stunned when the Archdiocese refused the donation.

Archdiocese Turns Down $100G Donation for Historic Little Italy Church, Stirring Speculation
03 Oct 2026 | 11:08
News

Officers for the San Gennaro Festival said they attempted to donate $100,000 to be used to benefit the 122-year-old Most Precious Blood church, that has always held an important spot in the annual celebration of Italian culture.

"We were stunned,” said John Fretta, a vice president of the San Gennaro...

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