“A sacred place of beauty and serenity.” That’s how Rector Alfred W. Price described St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in 1958. His words still resonate today. Let’s step back in time and explore this historic church.
St. Stephen’s was established in Philadelphia in 1823. The founders sought to worship in a new way. They wanted it intimately woven into the city. Philadelphia had become the nation’s industrial leader. They chose a bustling new neighborhood. It was near the University of Pennsylvania. It was near Jefferson Medical College. It was also close to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
The church building was consecrated in 1823. It has witnessed several expansions and renovations. St. Stephen’s was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It was designated a historical landmark by the Philadelphia Historical Commission in 1957.
St. Stephen’s counts among the earliest American churches. It adapted church architecture from the Middle Ages. It is the only Gothic Revival style building from this period remaining in Philadelphia. It is also the only Gothic Revival building by architect William Strickland to survive.
The interior of St. Stephen’s gained three large marbles in the early 1850s. There are two funerary marbles. There is also a baptismal font. It has life-size figures and an intricately wrought silver-gilt lid. These striking forms are the basis for the church’s reputation. In the 20th century, it became known as “Philadelphia’s Westminster Abbey.”
St. Stephen’s features tall stained-glass windows. They have pointed arches. These windows differ dramatically from those in American Colonial churches. The windows at St. Stephen’s were designed to inspire solemn reverence. They create dappled luminous color in a shadowy atmospheric space.
The original planned windows did not arrive in time for the consecration. Their installation by the late 1820s makes them the earliest existing stained-glass windows in Philadelphia. Over time, windows were changed, added, or suppressed. The result is a visually rich historical survey of American stained-glass windows. It includes windows by Tiffany and D’Ascenzo Studios.
In 1865-6, the church bought property at Laurel Hill Cemetery. They transferred remains from its 13th Street cemetery. Soon after the church bought and repurposed buildings to the east. They became its new Community House.
Rev. Rudder led a citywide campaign in 1870. It funded and built public water fountains throughout the city. This provided safe drinking water for laborers and working horses. In 1878, the church hired Frank Furness. He designed and built a transept and vestry room over the original cemetery to the north.
Today, St. Stephen’s retains its commitment. It serves the diverse and dynamic urban community. St. Stephen’s remains a sacred place. It offers beauty and serenity to all people. It welcomes pilgrims of all kinds. They seek an intimate space. They can experience God and find care for their spirit. As you leave St. Stephen’s, consider the words of Rector Price. May you too find beauty and serenity in this historic place.