About Saint John the Baptist · Columbus, Ohio
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is an Italian national parish in the Italian Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, founded in October 1896 to serve Italian immigrant families and dedicated in its present Gothic Revival church on September 18, 1898. Established under the Diocese of Columbus as a non-territorial parish by rite/language/nationality, it was staffed by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) from 1949 to 1991 and is today the cultural and spiritual heart of central Ohio's Italian-American community, sponsor of the Columbus Italian Festival, home to the Italian Cultural Center (Marrapese Hall), and the regular meeting place of La Prossima, a young-adult group of Italian descent. Since November 2022 it has been jointly administered with nearby Sacred Heart Church, sharing the same pastor and parish staff.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- Saint John the Baptist
- Rector
- Reverend Vincent T. (Vince) Nguyen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Columbus
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a rare and living bridge to Italian Catholic heritage in central Ohio — a national Italian parish where the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass still incorporates Italian, the Italian Cultural Center (Marrapese Hall) hosts the Columbus Italian Festival, Italian language classes, the Coro Italiano, and La Prossima young-adult gatherings, and centuries-old devotions like the blessing of bread on the feast of St. Anthony are still kept. A tight-knit parish family gathers around a beautifully proportioned 1898 Gothic Revival church, daily Eucharistic Adoration and Confession on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, a historic Ruffati organ, and a wide circle of lay societies (Le Donne Italiane, Amici D'Oro, I Giovani, the Pastoral Parish Council, Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors), making it both a devotional home and a cultural anchor for anyone seeking a parish with deep sacramental, musical and community life.
Mass times at Saint John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00–7:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00–7:00 PM
- Sunday 8:45 AM (before the 9:30 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00–7:00 PM (followed by 7:00 PM Mass)
- Wednesday 6:00–7:00 PM (followed by 7:00 PM Mass)
About St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is the Italian national parish of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, founded in October 1896 for Italian immigrants and worshipping today in a Late Gothic Revival church dedicated September 18, 1898 at the corner of East Lincoln and Hamlet Streets in the Italian Village neighborhood. Long the cultural and spiritual heart of central Ohio's Italian-American community, the parish sponsors the Columbus Italian Festival, operates the Italian Cultural Center (Marrapese Hall), and continues to keep Italian language, music and devotional traditions alive. Since November 2022 it has been jointly administered with Sacred Heart Church in Victorian Village under one pastor, and its 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass is livestreamed on Facebook.
- Italian national parish, Diocese of Columbus (founded October 1896; dedicated September 18, 1898)
- Address: 168 E. Lincoln Street, Columbus, OH 43215-1534
- Phone: (614) 294-5319 • Fax: (614) 294-4303
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.sjbitaliana.com
- Jointly administered with Sacred Heart Church since November 2022
History
From the 1896 appointment of Father Alexander Cestelli to serve the Italian immigrants of Columbus to the current joint pastorate with Sacred Heart, the parish's history is told in a long succession of Italian-born founders, PIME missionaries, and American diocesan priests, each leaving a physical and devotional mark on the church. Key moments include the 1898 dedication by Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Sebastiano Martinelli, Father Rocco Petrarca's 35-year pastorate (1913–1948) that paid off the church debt, the 1949 arrival of the PIME Fathers, the 1974–1991 pastorate of Father Casto Marrapese (founder of the Columbus Italian Festival), the 1989 dedication of the Italian Cultural Center, the 1998 appointment of Father William A. Metzger (the first non-Italian-born permanent pastor), and the 2022 start of the shared pastorate with Sacred Heart under Father Vince Nguyen.
- 1896 — Parish founded; Father Alexander Cestelli celebrates first Italian Masses in the baptistery of St. Joseph Cathedral.
- 1897 — Lots at Lincoln & Hamlet purchased for $4,700.
- May 15, 1898 — Cornerstone laid by Bishop Watterson with the Knights of St. John and Italian Beneficial Society in procession.
- September 18, 1898 — Church dedicated by Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Sebastiano Martinelli; formally established as a national Italian parish.
- 1901–1913 — Father Vittorio Sovilla works down the standing debt.
- 1913–1948 — Father Rocco Petrarca's legendary 35-year pastorate; debt paid off within four years.
- 1949–1991 — Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) administration (Fathers Sala, Boerio, Calzini, Bellinato, Marrapese).
- 1957 — Undercroft remodeled as a parish hall.
- 1974–1991 — Father Casto Marrapese, PIME, founds the Columbus Italian Festival (1980) and pushes through the Italian Cultural Center (dedicated October 29, 1989).
- 1991–1998 — Monsignor Mario A. Serraglio's pastorate; choir, Coro Italiano, stained-glass renovation, exterior illumination, and the 1996 centennial.
- 1998 — Father William A. Metzger appointed — the first permanent pastor not born in Italy.
- 2022 — Joint pastorate with Sacred Heart begins (November 2022).
- 2023 — La Prossima (young-adult Italian-descent group) launches at Marrapese Hall.
Architecture & Buildings
The 1898 church is a Late Gothic Revival brick structure designed by Columbus architect David Riebel, measuring 43 feet wide by 104 feet long with a 98-foot steeple and spire. Its buff-brick exterior is accented with stone from the Columbus Brick and Terra Cotta Co., with a limestone basement and slate-and-tin roof work by Zimmer Brothers. Interiors feature altars, pulpit, communion rails and confessionals built by the Josephinum Church Furniture Company, stained-glass windows along Lincoln Street (renovated in the 1990s), and a Ruffati organ imported from Padua, Italy (installed under Father Bellinato). The adjacent Italian Cultural Center, dedicated October 29, 1989, preserves the reconstructed façade of the former St. Rose of Lima Convent and contains Marrapese Hall (a rentable event space), the parish's 2nd-floor administrative offices, and the Italian Cultural Library.
- Architect: David Riebel (Columbus)
- Style: Late Gothic Revival
- Dimensions: 43 ft wide × 104 ft long; steeple 98 ft
- Capacity: approximately 480
- Construction cost: about $12,000 (1898)
- Furnishings: Josephinum Church Furniture Company
- Organ: Ruffati (Padua, Italy) — installed c. 1963–1974
- Italian Cultural Center / Marrapese Hall — dedicated October 29, 1989
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is currently led by the Reverend Vincent T. (Vince) Nguyen, who also serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Columbus, reflecting the November 2022 decision of the Diocese of Columbus to have one pastor serve both parishes. The parish bulletin also notes the assistance of deacons and other parish staff. The full succession of pastors from 1896 to today is preserved in the parish's published history, including the foundational generation of Italian-born founders, the line of PIME missionaries (1949–1991), and the more recent American diocesan priests.
- Current Pastor: Reverend Vincent T. (Vince) Nguyen
- Shared pastorate with Sacred Heart Church, Columbus (since November 2022)
- Pastoral succession spans Fathers Cestelli, Sovilla, Petrarca, PIME Fathers Sala/Boerio/Calzini/Bellinato/Marrapese, Monsignor Serraglio, Father Metzger, and the recent administrators Father Andrzei Kozminski, SAC and Monsignor Frank Lane
Parish Ministries & Societies
St. John the Baptist supports a wide circle of lay organizations that combine faith, fellowship, and Italian cultural preservation. The parish sponsors the annual Columbus Italian Festival, the Fr. Casto Marrapese Scholarship, and a Marrapese Gala; runs Italian language classes and the Italian Cultural Library; and hosts choirs, women's and seniors' societies, and (since 2023) the La Prossima young-adult group in Marrapese Hall.
- Columbus Italian Festival
- Fr. Casto Marrapese Scholarship & Marrapese Gala
- Italian Cultural Center / Marrapese Hall (rentals)
- Italian Cultural Library
- Italian language classes (children & adults; ongoing since 1953)
- Le Donne Italiane Women's Society
- Amici D'Oro (seniors)
- I Giovani (young adults)
- La Prossima (Italian-descent young adults, 18–30)
- St. John the Baptist Church Choir & Coro Italiano
- Parish Advisory Board; Pastoral Parish Council; Parish Vicariate Committee
- Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Religious Education (Sunday program)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, with a documented sacramental history stretching back to the very first baptism (Francesco Pietro Caito, December 20, 1896) and wedding (Charles Amicon and Maria Bova, March 25, 1897) celebrated in the cathedral baptistery before the church was built. Today, Reconciliation is offered before Sunday Mass and during Tuesday/Wednesday Adoration; Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Marriages, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral rites are arranged through the parish office.
- Baptism
- First Eucharist / Confirmation (Religious Education program)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession): Sun 8:45 AM; Tue & Wed 6:00–7:00 PM
- Funeral rites
- Eucharistic Adoration (Tue & Wed 6:00–7:00 PM)
Italian Cultural Center & Marrapese Hall
The Italian Cultural Center, dedicated on October 29, 1989, is the parish's cultural hub and was made possible when Father Casto Marrapese negotiated the demolition of the adjacent former St. Rose of Lima Convent (vacated by the Dominican Sisters of the Sick Poor in 1987) in exchange for reconstructing the old convent façade on the new building — a compromise approved on the parish's third request by the Italian Village Commission in June 1988. The Center contains Marrapese Hall (a large event and meeting space with kitchen), the parish's 2nd-floor administrative offices, the Italian Cultural Library, and meeting space used by the parish, the Columbus Italian Festival, and La Prossima.
- Dedicated October 29, 1989
- Built on the site of the former St. Rose of Lima Convent (reconstructed façade retained)
- Houses Marrapese Hall, Italian Cultural Library, parish offices
- Hosts Columbus Italian Festival events, La Prossima, and Marrapese Gala
Columbus Italian Festival
Founded in 1980 by Father Casto Marrapese, PIME, the Columbus Italian Festival is the parish's signature cultural and fundraising event. Marrapese established it with three goals: to bring about public awareness of the Italian culture, to sponsor college scholarships for area high-school students, and to raise funds for construction of the Italian Cultural Center. The inaugural festival on September 1–2, 1980 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds drew 8,000 people, and the festival has continued to fund the Fr. Casto Marrapese Scholarship and the Marrapese Gala as well as the parish's Italian Cultural Center.
- Founded 1980 by Father Casto Marrapese, PIME
- Three original objectives: Italian cultural awareness, college scholarships, Italian Cultural Center funding
- First festival: Ohio State Fairgrounds, September 1–2, 1980 (8,000 attendees)
- Raises funds for the Fr. Casto Marrapese Scholarship and Marrapese Gala
Joint Pastorate with Sacred Heart
Beginning in November 2022, the Diocese of Columbus placed St. John the Baptist and Sacred Heart Church in Victorian Village under a single pastor — a pastoral arrangement that continues today under the Reverend Vincent T. Nguyen. The two parishes share a joint weekly bulletin (titled 'St. John the Baptist / Sacred Heart') and collaborate on adult faith formation, with a coordinator of adult faith formation named in the bulletin. The arrangement reflects the smaller size of both parishes and the diocese's clustering of nearby Italian Village and Victorian Village parishes.
- Joint pastorate began November 2022
- Pastor: Reverend Vincent T. (Vince) Nguyen
- Sacred Heart (est. 1875) — 893 Hamlet Street, Columbus, OH 43201
- Joint weekly bulletin: 'St. John the Baptist / Sacred Heart'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Alexander Cestelli, D.D.October 1896 – c. 1900
Founding pastor; born in Fiesole, Italy, native of the Diocese of Borgo San Sepulcro; taught Moral Theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum; organized the first Italian-language Masses in the baptistery of St. Joseph Cathedral; purchased the Lincoln/Hamlet lots for $4,700; broke ground and laid the cornerstone May 15, 1898. Resigned discouraged by debt; died in a taxicab accident in Portland, Oregon on December 22, 1916.
- Reverend Vittorio SovillaMarch 1, 1901 – c. 1913
Second pastor; worked faithfully to pay down the standing church debt.
- Reverend Rocco Petrarca1913 – 1948
Third pastor; legendary 35-year tenure; paid off the church debt within four years and spent an additional $5,000 on repairs and embellishments without further debt; remembered for faith-and-family spiritual leadership.
- Father Charles Sala, PIMEJune 1949 – 1955
Fourth pastor and first PIME priest; rewired the church (no engineer could decipher Father Petrarca's network), remodeled the undercroft (1957) with a new kitchen and lavatories, added a rectory addition, began spaghetti dinners and bingo fundraisers.
- Father Antimo Boerio, PIME1956 – 1957
Fifth pastor; former missionary in China; called to Rome after two years to assist the PIME General Council.
- Father Charles Sala, PIME (returned)c. 1957 – 1961
Returned to St. John's for a second distinguished term as pastor; some sources place his return immediately after Father Boerio.
- Father Ovidio Calzini, PIMESeptember 1961 – June 1963
Sixth pastor; missionary from Hong Kong.
- Father Ettore Bellinato, PIMEJune 1963 – April 21, 1974
Seventh pastor; missionary from India; reordered the church's statues, replaced the worn organ with a Ruffati organ imported from Padua, Italy, added easier-access front steps and a new undercroft entry; retired for ill health and died in Italy. Memorial Mass held October 12, 1974.
- Father Casto Marrapese, PIMEApril 22, 1974 – July 1, 1991
Eighth and last PIME pastor; arrived in America in 1949; co-founded the first PIME seminary in the U.S. (East North Broadway Ave., Columbus, 1953); organized the Sts. Peter and Paul Missionary Guilds; built the second PIME seminary in Oakland, NJ (1962); founded the Columbus Italian Festival in 1980; established a $250,000 college endowment; purchased the former Dominican convent and built the Italian Cultural Center (dedicated October 29, 1989); retired to the PIME seminary in Newark, Ohio; died 2002. Marrapese Hall is named for him.
- Monsignor Mario A. SerraglioJuly 1991 – July 14, 1998
Ninth pastor; Italian-born diocesan priest; fostered Italian classes, religious lectures and retreats, the Italian Cultural Library, Amici D'Oro and I Giovani, the Senior Citizens Mass and Luncheon, Le Donne Italiane Women's Society, Parish Advisory Board, Pastoral Parish Council, and Parish Vicariate Committee; expanded the choir and Coro Italiano; renovated the Lincoln Street stained-glass windows and added exterior illumination; general chairman of the 1996 centennial celebration, which underwrote a church in Mexico and an endowment in the diocesan foundation. Reassigned to St. Agnes, Columbus, July 14, 1998.
- Reverend William A. MetzgerJuly 14, 1998 – after 2003
Tenth pastor; ordained May 27, 1978 for the Diocese of Columbus; former pastor of St. Agnes; first permanent pastor of St. John the Baptist not born in Italy; grandson of Antonio and Amalia Ortenzo of Giulianova Teramo, Abruzzi; attended Dennison Immaculate Conception grade school, St. Francis Preparatory Seminary (Cincinnati, class of 1967), Duns Scotus College (Southfield, MI), Kent State (B.A. 1972), and Catholic University of America (theology, 1974); served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and Marriage Tribunal as Defender of the Bond; Catholic Chaplain for (then) Columbus Children's Hospital.
- Reverend Andrzei Kozminski, SAC (Pallottine)Administrator; reassigned July 11, 2023
Administrator of Sacred Heart and St. John the Baptist; reassigned as pastor of St. Christopher, Columbus on July 11, 2023.
- Monsignor Frank LaneAdministrator, effective July 11, 2023
Appointed Administrator of Sacred Heart and St. John the Baptist Churches, Columbus, on July 11, 2023, coming from retirement.
- Reverend Vincent T. (Vince) NguyenCurrent pastor (serving both St. John the Baptist and Sacred Heart from 2022)
Listed in the Diocese of Columbus priest directory and on the current St. John the Baptist / Sacred Heart bulletin as Pastor of both parishes; described by the parish as 'a Catholic priest known for heartfelt teaching that connects faith to everyday life.'
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