St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (Philadelphia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church |
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St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia
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| Location | 252 S. 4th Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church, former cathedral |
| Founded | 1763 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia |
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, also known as Old St. Mary's, is a very old and important church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can find it in the Society Hill neighborhood at 248 S. Fourth Street, between Spruce and Walnut Streets.
This church, often called "Old Saint Mary's," first opened its doors in 1763. It was the second Catholic church built in Philadelphia, after Old Saint Joseph's. Today, it is still an active church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Services are held on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m. The current pastor is Paul A. DiGirolamo, J.C.D. St. Mary's is also connected with Holy Trinity Church, which is used for special services.
Contents
History of Old St. Mary's Church
Old Saint Mary's was built because Old Saint Joseph's, which was just a block away, needed more space for its growing community. At first, Old Saint Joseph's was a small chapel hidden in a house. This was because it was against the law to openly celebrate Catholic Mass back then.
In 1757, a bigger church was built where Old Saint Joseph's is now. But just six years later, Old St. Mary's was built. It had plenty of room, including space for a Catholic cemetery. St. Mary's and Old St. Joseph's were part of the same church community until 1830.
In 1782, St. Mary's opened the first school connected to a Catholic church in America. Today, a school is still part of the church community.
Famous Visitors to the Church
Many important people from early American history visited St. Mary's. This was because it was the most well-known Catholic church in the city at that time. Some famous visitors included George Washington and John Adams. John Adams wrote about how beautiful the church was, with its amazing sights and sounds.
St. Mary's as a Cathedral
In 1810, Philadelphia became a diocese, which is a special church area led by a bishop. St. Mary's was then chosen to be the main church, called a cathedral. It served as the cathedral until 1838. After that, St. John the Evangelist Church became the new cathedral.
Inside the Church and Its Design
The church was updated in 1963, but many of its original features were kept. These include a baptismal font from the 1700s. Also, the special chair used by Bishop Henry Conwell from 1820 is still there. Chandeliers that were first in Independence Hall are also part of the church's design.
The outside of the church is made of brick and has a Gothic style. Inside, there is a balcony and a choir area that goes around three sides of the building. Above the main door on the outside, there is a statue of Mary. The church is named after her. The ceiling has a painting of Mary going to heaven. There are also tall stained glass windows, some as high as two stories. The first architect of the church was Charles Johnson.
Education at St. Mary's
The church has its own school for younger students called St. Mary Interparochial Grade School.
Church Cemetery
The churchyard cemetery started in 1759. It was made larger by adding more soil after the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793.
Important People Buried Here
Many notable people are buried in the cemetery at Old St. Mary's. These include:
- Commodore John Barry (1745–1803), known as the "father of the US Navy"
- Michael Bouvier (1792–1874), a cabinetmaker and a relative of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
- James Campbell (1812–1893), who was a Postmaster General of the United States
- Mathew Carey (1760–1839), a famous publisher
- Thomas Fitzsimons (1741–1811), who helped in the Continental Congress
- George Meade (1741–1808), a merchant and grandfather of General George Gordon Meade
- Richard Worsam Meade I (1778–1828), a merchant and father of General Meade
- Stephen Moylan (1737–1811), a military leader in the American Revolutionary War
- Manuel Torres (1762–1822), the first ambassador from Colombia to the United States
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María (Filadelfia) para niños
