Gloria Dei Church, known locally as Old Swedes, is a historic church located in the

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

neighborhood of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, at 929 South Water Street, bounded by Christian Street on the north, South Christopher Columbus Boulevard (formerly Delaware Avenue) on the east, and Washington Avenue on the south. It was built between 1698 and 1700,, p.20, p.178 making it the oldest church in Pennsylvania and second oldest Swedish church in the United States after Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes) in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

. The carpenters for the building were John Smart and John Buett and bricks were supplied by Richard Cantril.Craig, Peter Stebbins; and Kim-Eric Williams, eds. ''Colonial Records of the Swedish Churches in Pennsylvania''. Philadelphia: Swedish Colonial Society, 2006., v. 2, p154. The church displays the English vernacular style of church design, which combines elements of the Medieval and Gothic styles. The church's vestry and entranceway were added in 1703 to buttress the walls, which had begun to buckle under the weight of the roof. The tower was added c.1733, and interior alterations were made in 1845, designed by Samuel Sloan. The congregation was established on Tinicum Island in 1646. It moved to its present site in 1677, five years before the founding of the city of Philadelphia, and the graveyard around the church to about the same time. Formerly a Swedish Lutheran congregation, the church has been

Episcopalian Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protes ...

since 1845.

History

Gloria Dei is the oldest church in

and second oldest Swedish church in the United States after Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes) in

. Swedish pioneers of

New Sweden New Sweden () was a colony of the Swedish Empire between 1638 and 1655 along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Established during the Thirty Years' War when Sweden was a g ...

were the first to settle the area in 1646. An existing blockhouse at Wicaco (now South Philadelphia), had been renovated for worship in 1677 and was used until the present church (built beginning in 1698) was consecrated on the First Sunday after

Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

, June 2, 1700. Colonial painter Gustavus Hesselius was a member here. In 1703, Gloria Dei was the site of the first regular

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

ordination in the Americas, that of Justus Falckner, a German theology student.

Jenny Lind Johanna Maria Lind (Madame Goldschmidt) (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in ...

sang here during one of her American tours. Hanging in the center aisle is a Swedish chandelier given by famous Swedish artist

Carl Milles Carl Milles (; 23 June 1875 – 19 September 1955) was a Swedes, Swedish sculpture, sculptor. He was married to artist Olga Milles (née Granner) and brother to Ruth Milles and half-brother to the architect Evert Milles. Carl Milles sculpted the ...

. Recollections of many Swedish royal and episcopal visits are treasured memories, including models of '' Fogel Grip'' and '' Kalmar Nyckel'', the first Swedish ships to arrive in New Sweden. The church has a collection of historical and religious artifacts the church has acquired over three centuries, including bronze crosses and 18th century Bibles in Swedish and English. In 1845, the formerly Swedish Lutheran congregation joined the Episcopal Church. Today the church is owned and maintained by its congregation of Episcopalians. The church was designated a National Historic Site on November 17, 1942. It is an affiliated area of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

under Independence National Historical Park. The church site is owned and administered by the Corporation of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on October 15, 1966.

Swedish pastors

* Andreas Rudman, 1697-1702 * Andreas Sandel, 1702-1719 * Jonas Lidman, 1719-1730 * Johan Eneberg, acting 1730-1733 * Johannes Dylander, 1737-1741 * Gabriel Näsman, 1743-1750 * Olof Parlin, 1750-1757 * Erik Nordenlind, acting 1757-1759 * Carl Magnus Wrangel, 1759-1768 * Anders Göransson, 1768-1779 * Matthias Hultgren, 1779-1786 * Nicholas Collin, 1786-1831 Source:Norberg, Otto (1893). ''Svenska kyrkans mission vid Delaware.'' Diss. Uppsala universitet.

Cemetery

The church cemetery includes the following interments: * Johan Dylander, pastor 1737-1741 * Sven Gunnarsson (d. 1678), one of the first buried at the church, a founding father of the

colony * John C. Hunterson (1841-1927),

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

soldier and

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient * William Irvine (1741–1804),

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

officer and physician *

Amandus Johnson Amandus Johnson (October 27, 1877 – June 30, 1974) was a Swedish- American historian, author and museum director. He is most associated with his epic two volume history '' The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware 1638-1664'', which was also publ ...

(1877–1974), Swedish-American scholar and founder of the

American Swedish Historical Museum The American Swedish Historical Museum is the oldest Swedish-American museum in the United States. It is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia, on part of a historic 17th-century land grant originally provided by Q ...

George Ord George Ord, Jr. (March 4, 1781 – January 24, 1866) was an American Zoology, zoologist who specialized in North American ornithology and mammalogy. Based in part on specimens collected by Lewis and Clark Expedition, Lewis and Clark in the North ...

(1781–1866), ornithologist * Andreas Rudman, pastor 1698-1702 * James Peale (1749–1831), American Revolutionary War officer, artist, and brother of

Charles Willson Peale Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) was an American painter, military officer, scientist, and naturalist. In 1775, inspired by the American Revolution, Peale moved from his native Maryland to Philadelphia, where he set ...

Sarah Miriam Peale Sarah Miriam Peale (May 19, 1800 – February 4, 1885) was an American portrait painter, considered the first American woman to succeed as a professional artist. One of a family of artists of whom her uncle Charles Willson Peale was the most illu ...

(1800–1885) portrait painter and daughter of James Peale * Peter Gunnarsson Rambo (1611–1698), Swedish immigrant who became known as "the Father of

" * Alexander Wilson (1766–1813), ornithologist and illustrator

Gallery

File:Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site GLDE5011.jpg, Church interior with balcony and organ File:Gloria Dei (Church), 929 South Water Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA,51-PHILA,174- (sheet 3 of 10).png,

Architectural drawing An architectural drawing or architect's drawing is a technical drawing of a building (or building project) that falls within the definition of architecture. Architectural drawings are used by architects and others for a number of purposes: to deve ...

of the church's west and east sides File:Gloria Dei (Church), 929 South Water Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA,51-PHILA,174- (sheet 5 of 10).png, Drawing of the church's south side File:Gloria Dei (Church), 929 South Water Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA,51-PHILA,174- (sheet 2 of 10).png, Floor plans of the first floor and balcony File:Philadelphia_LCCN98517356_(cropped).jpg, WPA poster promoting the church as a Philadelphia destination File:Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Episcopal Church 916 S Swanson St Philadelphia PA (DSC 3851).jpg, National Historic Site plaque on the church wall File:Gloria Dei Church (Old Swedes) Historical Marker 916 S Swanson St Philadelphia PA (DSC 3837).jpg,

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania's heritage. The commission cares for hist ...

marker

References

External links

*
NPS website: Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site
*

Historic American Buildings Survey The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...