BOB & CAIT

The History of Old Saint Mary's:

 

Founded in 1763, Old Saint Mary's Church is rich in history, as it is one of the nation's earliest Catholic churches and the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in Philadelphia.  At a time of anti-Catholic sentiment in Colonial America, it symbolized the religious tolerance of Pennsylvania that was later adopted in the US Constitution.  The Continental Congress attended services several times here as a sign of respect for the Catholic countries of France and Spain, who were America's allies during the Revolutionary War.  Saint Mary's is also where the first public religious commemoration of the Declaration of Independence was held on July 4th, 1779.