About
Dedicated in 1954 as Holy Rosary Church, the Italian Community that comprised the parish looked to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Patroness of the Church by enshrining a replica mosaic of Our Lady of Pompeii in the high altar of the church. This mosaic stands as the focal point of the Neo-Italian Renaissance church, surrounded by marble altars and railings from Italy, fifteen different marbles from Italy, France, and North Africa, fifteen stained glass windows from Germany and Belgium, and a marble pulpit weighing three tons, yet able to be moved by one person. At its dedication service, the church was also named to memorialize seven parishioners who had lost their lives while serving in World War II, as well as all living and deceased military veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
In 2007, the Most Reverend Danial R. Jenky, Bishop of Peoria, elevated the parish to the rank of Diocesan Shrine. A partial indulgence is granted to those who make a pious pilgrimage to the shrine. Today, Queen of the Holy Rosary Memorial Shrine remains a popular site for weddings, pilgrimages, prayer, and daily devotions.
