Old St. Mary's and Old St. Joseph's

Old St Mary's Church was the site of the first public religious commemoration of the Declaration of Independence and was the first Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Diocese of Philadelphia (1810-38). George Washington and John Adams worshipped here. A crucifix in the Church was carved by renowned sculptor William Rush. The front of the church's organ was crafted by Thomas U. Walter, the man responsible for designing the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Some of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's French descendants lie beneath the vault in the Church's burial ground.























Old St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church is Philadelphia’s oldest Catholic community. It was founded by Jesuits in 1733 and is still staffed by Jesuits and their lay colleagues. The community has been in continuous existence since 1733.