Old Philadelphia Congregations (Christ Church Cemetery) - Philadelphia, PA
N 39° 57.149 W 075° 08.897
18S E 487333 N 4422493
Philadelphia is not only the cradle of liberty but it is the bastion of religious freedom as evident by scores of 200 year old religious institutions of various religious denominations.
Waymark Code: WMCZQ4
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 10/30/2011
Views: 9
Being the cradle of liberty (and democracy and religion, it makes sense the some of the oldest churches, synagogues and meeting houses in the country can be found right here, densely packed in a few, square block radius. To call attention to this attraction, the City of Philadelphia (or possible a coalition of churches) have established and erected this interpretive or sign of history at this cemetery and every other historic church in Old City Philadelphia. The reverse side of this marker tells the tale of Christ Church Burial Ground.
These fantastic and very tall markers are outside of at least six other historic, religious sites in the immediate area. On one side of these two-sided beauties is this general interpretive and on the other, is a site-specific interpretive which tells the visitor about which ever religious institution is being visited. The interpretives are easy to read, quite informative and succinct and well maintained. They are about 4 feet in heigh and a few feet in with and are held off the ground about 3 feet so the resting height of the sign is about six feet putting it exactly at eye level. These markers are held in place by two, thin, black metal holders anchored into the concrete pad below. There is a nice map off to the left showing visitors how to get to each old church. There is also an old black an white photo at the bottom depicting a look at the 18th century Philadelphia coastline. The SOH reads:
It was in Philadelphia, alone of America's colonial cities, that Quakers, Jews, Catholics and Protestants "experienced the difficulties and discovered the possibilities of fruitful coexistence that American democracy was to offer." Philadelphia is a city that not only tolerated but welcomed diverse modes of religious practice from its beginning. That diversity is still evident today in the Old Philadelphia Congregations, a consortium of historic churches and synagogues of different denominations working together to broaden interfaith understanding and celebrate Philadelphia's unique contribution to religious freedom in America.
The freedom of worship mandated in William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges ensured that Philadelphia made significant contributions to American religious history. Philadelphia is the birthplace of the Methodist Episcopal churches in America. It is here that the first African-American bishop was named, the Hebrew Bible was first translated into English and the first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America was held. And in the 1730s, Philadelphia was the only place in the British Empire where a public Catholic mass could be celebrated.
In other words, Philadelphia's religious history is the nation's own.
"Because noe people can be truly happy though under the Greatest Enjoyments of
Civil Liberties if Abridged of the Freedom of theire Consciences as to theire Religious Profession and Worship" from William Penn's Charter of Privileges for Pennsylvanians 1701.