Today, Our Lady of the Rosary Church of San Diego — popularly known as “The Jewel of Little Italy” — shines even brighter after undergoing a major, award-winning restoration in 2021 to highlight its original liturgical art and beauty.

The church was built by its first pastor, Father Sylvester Rabagliati, a native of Italy and student of St. John Bosco, who arrived in San Diego fresh from major assignments in New York and was assigned to shepherd San Diego’s growing Italian community, which had no church of their own.