OUR ITALIAN GREEK CATHOLICS 119 



I have elsewhere described the rites of the Greek 

 Church, as regards the Mass and the sacraments. The Greeks 

 of Italy, however, follow more closely the ancient liturgical 

 forms than do the United Greek Ruthenians or Rumanians. 

 They even are allowed to say the creed without the addition of 

 "and from the Son," on account of the ancient usage, which 

 they have never altered, and because they have never differed 

 from the Roman pontiff. 



As I have said, the people of Southern Italy have immi- 

 grated in large numbers to the United States. The census re- 

 turns for Italy in 1901 say that there are over three million 

 Italians outside of Italy, who have left their homes either per- 

 manently or temporarily. In New York City alone there are 

 said to be 450,000 Italians. The Greek Catholic population of 

 Southern Italy has sent between a quarter and half of its num- 

 ber to the United States. There are in the United States 

 perhaps as many Italian Greek Catholics as there are now re- 

 maining in Italy. 



During the year 1904, an energetic young Italian Greek 

 Catholic priest, the Papas (Rev.) Giro Pinnola, of Mezzojuso, 

 came to the United States to gather up the scattered flock of 

 Greek Catholics. He is now a priest of the New York diocese. 

 He says that, being used to the language and rites of the Greek 

 Church, these Italians have not adopted the habit of attending 

 Roman Catholic churches, which in a measure do not appeal 

 to them, because of their unfamiliarity with the rites, and they 

 have become the prey of all sorts of missionary experiments 

 to undermine their allegiance to the Church. Father Pinnola 

 has found many who, because they were not of the Roman rite, 

 attended other churches and missionary chapels. They were 

 easier to pervert than the ordinary Italian of the Roman rite. 



He estimates that there are about 25,000 Itahans (Alba- 

 nesi) of the Greek Rite, or possibly more, within the Greater 

 City of New York. There are, besides, a large number in 

 Newark, Elizabeth and Jersey City. There is even quite a 

 colony out on Long Island. Father Pinnola has, as yet, not 

 travelled far afield, but has confined his labors to New York 

 and vicinity. All these people are very poor, with an excep- 

 tion here and there, and have been as yet unable to build or 

 equip a church. They are, however, contributing their dimes 

 and quarters to that end. 



