Society Hill in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Old St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church

Old St Mary's RC Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Philip Gilson, May 29, 2016

1. Old St Mary's RC Church Marker

Inscription. Founded in 1763, it is one of the nation's earliest Catholic churches and the first Roman Catholic cathedral in Pa. At a time of anti-Catholic sentiment in Colonial America, it symbolized the religious tolerance of Pa. that was later adopted in the US Constitution. The Continental Congress attended services several times as a sign of respect for the Catholic countries of France and Spain, America's allies during the Revolutionary War.

Erected 2013 by Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1763.

Location. 39° 56.74′ N, 75° 8.903′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Society Hill. It is on South 4th Street south of Locust Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 250-252 South 4th Street, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Barry (here, next to this marker); Old St. Mary Cemetery (a few steps from this marker); Old St. Mary's

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(a few steps from this marker); In Memory of Manuel Torres (a few steps from this marker); “The Place You Tread is Holy Ground-” (a few steps from this marker); Honor the Immortal Dead (a few steps from this marker); Harriet Cany Peale (within shouting distance of this marker); James Campbell (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Also see . . . Old St. Mary's Church & Holy Trinity Church. (Submitted on August 8, 2019.)

Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, March 23, 2015

2. Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Marker

Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, March 23, 2015

3. Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Markers at Old St. Mary’s Church image. Click for full size.

National Park Service, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, January 5, 2019

4. Markers at Old St. Mary’s Church

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 28, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 826 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 31, 2016, by Philip Gilson of Brooklyn, New York. 2, 3. submitted on March 28, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on August 8, 2019. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.