Church of the Annunciation

The Church of the Annunciation began as a mission church for Rochester's growing Italian-American community on Norton Street. Masses were first celebrated on March 25, 1914—the Feast of the Annunciation—in a home that still stands adjacent to the current church building. Father John Killeen ministered to the Italian families in the area, and a basement chapel was constructed in 1917 to accommodate the expanding congregation. Originally named St. Agnes, the parish later took the name of the Annunciation.

For nearly three decades, Annunciation served as a mission of nearby Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish. The mission achieved full parish status in 1946, with Father Francis Cristantielli appointed as the first resident pastor. A school was added in 1958 and served the community until 1989. To celebrate the parish's 50th anniversary in 1967, a modern church was built across the street from the original chapel.

Decades later, declining Mass attendance and parish clustering led the community to sell the newer building and return to its original location—the renovated 1917 chapel where the parish story began. Pews from the closed Our Lady of Mercy Church in Greece were donated and modified by Amish woodworkers to fit the intimate space. Today, the Church of the Annunciation is part of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, continuing to serve northeast Rochester while honoring its Italian-American heritage.