The Church

St Lucy’s church was originally built and established in 1891 and was later torn down and rebuilt to its present design in 1925. The church reflected for many Italian Americas what life was like back in Italy. Most small towns would centralize around the bell tower of the church of their town. This village that was developed within Newark New Jersey was known as the First Ward and later as the Old Ward. (Immerso 1997).

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In 1977 St. Lucy's church became the national shrine dedicated to St Gerard.