Our area is home to some beautiful and historic churches that reflect the immigrant communities that built them. Little Italy is unusual in Chicago in that it has three Catholic churches and a Greek Orthodox church all quite close to each other and all are still thriving.

CATHOLIC

Holy Family Church is the second oldest church in Chicago. Construction began on the church in 1857 by a Jesuit Priest named Father Arnold Damen and Holy Family has welcomed perhaps the most diverse body of parishoners of any Catholic church in Chicago. Irish, German and Italian immigrants were among the earliest worshipers. In more recent times, Mexican and African American parishioners have joined Holy Family along with many other ethnic groups. It was one of a few buildings that survived the Chicago Fire.

Notre Dame de Chicago was founded in 1864 and built in 1887 for the French-speaking community of the area.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is the oldest continuing Italian-American church in Chicago. The original parish was founded in 1907. Today it is an Archdiocesan Shrine known for its interior art, stained glass windows, and its ornate bronze doors created in Italy.

St. Francis of Assisi in the University Village & Commons community offers a full range of parish services to its largely Latino parishoners. It was founded in 1853.

COMMUNITY

Park Community Church is a newer church in our community which has services on Sundays. It is a church of people who want to be engaged in good work in their own community.

Immanuel Baptist Church has been a presence in this community since 2005. They seek to equip and encourage their members to live out of the gospel in their vocations and in their neighborhood involvement. Services are Sundays at 10:45 AM.

GREEK ORTHODOX

St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church originally as a synagogue and was purchased in 1927 by a division of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox community and is still active today.

LUTHERAN

First Immanuel Lutheran Church on Ashland Avenue in the Illinois Medical District was founded in 1854 to serve German immigrants and the current building was built in 1888 and serves a diverse population from the metropolitan area.

UIC WORSHIP CENTERS

The University of Illinois at Chicago has two centers for student spiritual and social life both of which welcome community residents. The Levine Hillel Center at UIC and The John Paul II Newman Center at UIC are both longtime members of the UIC campus community.