Center City jewels

One of the joys of living in town is the number of churches nearby. Your Center City Correspondent has visited many of them, whether just to stop in and say hello or for Mass. The main thing in their favor is that they are old, with beautiful architecture, including the statues and altars. Two of my favorites are Old St. Joseph’s at 4th and Walnut and St. Patrick’s at 20th and Spruce. OSJ was founded by the Jesuits, in fact, the same men who started the university of the same name out on City Avenue. It has a beautiful mural behind the altar and there is a balcony that wraps around three-quarters of the church. It sits in a little courtyard off Willings Alley, which enhances the beauty and experience. St. Patrick’s is a big church, as big as some cathedrals. The highlights for me are the statue of St. Patrick which sits up by the altar and the open-backed pews, something you don’t see any more. Make sure you see the main church and not the downstairs chapel. Nothing cookie-cutter about these two; they don’t make churches like these anymore.


But the crown jewel in town has to be the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul that sits at 18th and Race or the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It took them about 15 years to build it back in the middle of the 19th century (pretty quick by European standards), and was expanded in the mid 1950’s. With its vaulted ceilings, large dome, main and side altars, statuary and stained glass, I always feel a little closer to heaven when I walk in. The word awesome is overused these days, but a walk inside is just that and inspirational all at once. Words and pictures don’t begin to describe it, only a visit will do. I’m pleased that my family will be coming to the Cathedral for a wedding in a few months and I’ll be able to show off my parish, but you shouldn’t wait. Come see it while it’s decorated for Christmas, it enhances the experience. Hope to see you there.

http://www.archdiocese-phl.org/parishes/8305.htm

http://www.oldstjoseph.org/

http://home.catholicweb.com/sspeterpaulcathedral/index.cfm