Villani Publishes Article In Altreitalie

Professor Stefano Villani has published an article on the Episcopalian Protestant mission of Philadelphia to the Italian immigrants.

Professor Stefano Villani has published an article, entitled "L’Emanuello e la missione protestante episcopale di Filadelfia (1882-1945)" ("L'Emanuello and the Episcopalian Protestant mission of Philadelphia (1882-1945)"), in the journal Altreitalie, 52 (January-June 2016). Professor Villani has posted the following abstract to Academia.edu webpage:

Abstract:

In 1882 the Episcopal Church established in Philadelphia a mission for the Italian immigrants who resided in the city. In the following year, the congregation bought its own place of worship, which assumed the name of L’Emmanuello Italian Episcopal Mission Church. The mission had been created on the initiative of the former Catholic priest Michele Zara (1844-1925), who fled to America from Maglie (in the province of Lecce) to escape a conviction for theft. His successor in 1908 was the former Catholic priest Tomaso Edmondo of Cioppa (1876-1970), who had left his parish of Falchi di Camigliano, in the diocese of Caserta, probably because he had been accused of having seduced a woman. Thanks to the work of both the ministers, L’Emmanuello became an important community center for the Italian population of Philadelphia until 1945, when the Reverend Cioppa retired (even if since 1929, for economic reasons, the congregation had to leave the chapel). The history of L’Emanuello is a significant chapter of the missionary work of the Episcopal Church towards the Italians, but it is also, and above all, the story of the Americanization of Zara and della Cioppa, who in America re-invented themselves, proving to be active and capable organizers.