Keeping the Italian heritage alive through language and through a constant mediation between the American and the Italian aspects of the parishioners’ lives has become Saint Dominic’s legacy.



Day by day, with common sense and an open mind, Father Ellis Tommaseo and Deacon Carlo Mellace try to reach out to different generations of Italian Americans through dialogue rather then impositions. They don’t question, for example, the fact that very often parishioners don’t get married at Saint Dominic’s because it is not a beautiful church and it doesn’t have an aisle to walk down. They make sure that Saint Dominic is always represented in Italian street celebrations, whether it is the Columbus Day Parade or a FIFA World Cup victory.

The project, that has required 6 months of fieldwork, is an effort to document Saint Dominic’s community within and outside the church boundaries. Its aim is not only to portray a reality that is disappearing but also, in these times of increasing xenophobia, to make the viewers empathize and sympathize with anyone suspended in between worlds.



The Italian American Museum is the first museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the cultural and social contributions of Italian Americans to the American way of life. The exhibit, Faith and Identity is free and will be open to the public from Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment (212.642.2020) at 28 West 44th Street, 17th floor between 5th and 6th Avenues. Major funding for this exhibit has been provided in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Columbus Citizens Foundations. Please visit our website www.italianamericanmuseum.org.