While living in Philadelphia back in 2003, I caught wind of two amazing things at once. For starters, there existed a Mario Lanza Museum less that a mile from our apartment. Secondly, Philadelphia was home to the remains of an actual Catholic Saint – St. John Neumann! These sites had to be visited. It was time for a St. John Neumann pilgrimage.

SOUTH PHILLY

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St. Mary Magdalen De Pazzi Parish. Founded in 1852 as the first Italian national parish in the US by St. John N. Neumann, Bishop of Philadelphia. New churches were dedicated here, 1854 & 1891. The Delaware Valley’s largest Italian community became centered in this neighborhood. – Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1994.

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MARIO LANZA MUSEUM



Carmelo Adamo – Mosaic Artist



Making my way North to the St. john Neumann Shrine.

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Final resting place of Benjamin Franklin!

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St. John Neumann

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