Queen of the Holy Rosary: Italian Immigrants and a Wartime Vow

In La Salle, Illinois, a Catholic shrine stands as a memorial to Italian immigrants and the soldiers they sent to war. In the early twentieth century, a priest named Father Charles Zachini arrived from the Diocese of Loreto in Italy to minister to the Italian-American community of La Salle, Peru, and Oglesby. Later, his successor Father Peter Delo opened the Queen of the Holy Rosary Church.

The church is remembered as a memorial to parishioners killed in World War Two. In the early two thousands, the Bishop of Peoria elevated the church to shrine status and expanded its dedication to all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The interior holds marble altars carved in Italy and stained glass windows depicting saints.

It remains an active parish.