In a
previous post, I wrote about the wealth of faiths that were attracted to Penn's city and how many of the original congregations are still active. By the mid 18th century, many Christian denominations other than the dominant Quakers had established strong footholds in Philly. Lutherans, Anglicans, Reformed Germans, and Presbyterians were among the strong congregations.
In general, Quakers were the most important political faction in the first half of the century, and their people controlled much of the wealth of the city. Anglicans, however, were increasingly important in shaping Philadelphia into a true city. Quaker beliefs towards education and art left those endeavors to others, and Anglicans would take a leading role.
Anglican
One of the most important architectural landmarks in Philadelphia's journey from town to city was the
Anglican Christ Church. Begun in 1727 and finished in 1744, and with a 196 ft steeple added in 1754, the
Palladian structure was built on the site of the original 1695 Anglican chapel. At the time it was the tallest building in the colonies, and would become one of the most important churches in American History. 15 Signers of the Declaration of Independence were members including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross, and as the first Protestant Episcopal church in the country, Christ Church was the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church in the United States.
other sources: wiki
Plenty more great photos
here.
Such was the growth of the Anglican population that in 1758 a new congregation was formed at 3rd and Pine Streets.
St. Peters is often noted for its exceptional beauty within the sanctuary.
And in case you prefer your churches in
high dynamic range.
If there was a congregation in Philadelphia that had to deal with prejudice, it was the
Catholics of St. Joseph's, particularly when England was at war with the Catholic Bourbon powers which was really most of the 18th century. In reality, other than a few rare occurrences of ill-will, it was the general belief in Philly that all were entitled to religious freedom. The worst incident was perhaps in 1755 when the defeat of Major General Edward Braddock during the French and Indian War aroused such fears that "an anti-Catholic mob attempted to destroy St. Joseph's and was turned back only through the persuasion of some brave Quakers." Catholics were also not allowed to serve in the militia during those times. The first Catholic chapel was built in 1733 on Willings Alley. Saint Joseph's soon outgrew its space and a new church was built in 1757. The current building was built in 1839 in the same location.
Atypical in design, the building does not look like a church from the outside, but is incorporated into a city block, perhaps as a way to stay under the radar. A photo of the interior courtyard can be found
here. The second Catholic parish was added in 1763.
St. Mary's is located just down the block at 4th and Manning Streets. When later enlarged, it would become the first cathedral of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Judaism
The first Jewish services were held in the 1740s on Sterling Alley in a private home near Race St between 3rd and 4th. This group would later become
Mikveh Israel, one of the most
historic Jewish-American groups. While the group is still active in Philly, their oldest trace is in the
1740 cemetery at Spruce and Darien Streets behind the Pennsylvania Hospital building. Perhaps the most well known member was Nathan Levy, whose ship carried the Liberty Bell to Philadelphia.
While that wraps up this short review of the original 18th century congregations, it is by no means the end of religious history in Philly. In time, virtually all religions would be represented in the City of Brotherly Love, and Penn's "Holy Experiment" would truly come to pass. In the 1700s, Philly was a model of religious tolerance for its time. This would set the stage for many historic congregations such as the first African-American Episcopal Church, and the first
African-American ordained priest of the Episcopal Church.
