Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 11.djvu/865

 PHILADELPHIA

793

PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia, titular see in Lydia, suflragan of Sardes. The city was founded by Philadelphus, King of Pergamon (159-38 b. c), in the vicinity of Callatebus on the left bank of the Cogamus (Kouzou Tchai) ; its location was most favourable for commercial and stra- tegical purposes. In 133 B. c. it became a Roman pos- session. It was subject to earthquakes, and at the time of Augustus wasalmost in ruins; but, quickly restored, was of commercial importance as late as the Byzan- tine period. Its wines were famous; its coins bore the image of Bacchus or a bacchante. On the coins of the first century the city is called Neocaisarea, under Ves- pasian it received the cognomen of Flavia. During the eleventh and succeeding centuries it was repeat- edly captured by and retaken from the Turks until it was definitively conquered by Bajazet in 1390. In the seventeenth century it had 8000 inhabitants, of whom 2000 were Christians. To-day it has about 15,000, including 3500 Greeks. The Turks called it Ala Sheir; it is the capital of the caza of the vilayet of Smyrna, is still, on account of its fertility, an impor- tant agricultural and commercial centre; and is a rail- way station between iSmyrna and Dinair. It possesses numerous ruins, a theatre, stadium, two walls, many Byzantine churches, etc. and has mineral springs. Christianity was introduced into Philadelphia in Apostolic times. According to the "Apostolic Con- stitutions" (VII, xlvi), its first bishop Demetrius must have been appointed by St. John. The apologist St. Miltiades mentions a prophetess Amraia who must have belonged to the primitive Church of Philadel- phia (Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", V, xvii). One of the seven letters of the Apocalypse is addressed to the Bishop of Philadelphia (Apoc, i, ii, iii, 7-13). This bishop was highly commended, and while the writer recognizes that the community is small, he tells us that the Jews who tried to disturb it were valiantly re- sisted by its faithful pastors. St. Ignatius of Antioch later sent to the Christians of Philadelphia an inter- esting letter warning them against the Jews (Funk, "Die apostolischen Viiter", Tubingen, 1901, pp. 98- 102). The ancient "Notitiae" place Philadelphia among the most important suffragans of Sardes. Under Andronicus Palaologus it was raised to met- ropolitan rank, and has continued such among the Greeks, its jurisdiction, since the fourteenth century, extending over many neighbouring sees, later obliter- ated by the Turkish conquest. Among its bishops or metropolitans, of whom Le Quicn (Oriens christ., I, 867 sq.) gives a very incomplete list, may be men- tioned: Hetimasius, present at the Council of Nica:^a (325) ; Cyriacus, at the Council of Philippopolis (344); Theodosius, deposed at the Council of Seleucia (359) ; Theophanes, present at the Council of Ephesus (431); Asianus (458); Eustathius (518); .John, present at the Council of Constantinople (680) ; Stephanus at Nicaja (7S7); Michael under Leo the Armenian; Theoleptus at the end of the tliirteenth and in the fourteenth cen- tury, hymn writer, orator, and master of the famous Barlaam (P. G., CXLIII, 381 sq.); Macarius Chryso- cephalas (1345) wrote homilies (ibid., CL, 227 sq.); Gabriel Severus (1577) wrote works against the Latins and resided, as did his six successors, at Venice; Ger- asimus Blachus (1679), author of numerous works; Meletius Typaldus (1685), deposed for becoming a Catholic.

Arondell, Discoveries in Asia Minor, I, 34; Chandler, Trai>- eh, 310 sq.; Smith, Diet, of Greek and Roman Geogr.. s. v.; Lb Camus, Les sept Eglises de V Apocalypse (Paris, 1896). 203-16; FiLLiON in ViaouRonx, Diet, de la Bible. 3. v.; Wachter, Der Verfall des Griechenlums im XIV. Jahrhundert %n Klexnasien (Leipzig, 1903), 44 sq.; LampakE3, The Seven Stars of the Apoca- lypse (Athens. 1909), 365-414, in Greek; Rambat, The Seven Churches of Asia (London, 1908). S. P^TRIDES.

Philadelphia, Archdiocese of (Philadelphien- sis), diocese established in 1808; made an archdiocese, 12 Feb., 1875, comprises all the city and county of Philadelphia, and the coimties of Berks, Bucks, Car-

bon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, North- ampton, and Schuylkill, an area of 5043 square miles, in the southeastern portion of the State of Pennsyl- vania. The population of this area, according to the United States Census, in 1910, was 2,712,708, of which number 1,549,008 belonged to the City of Philadel- phia. This city, the capital of the archdiocese, was, until 1800, the capital of the United States. It is the third city in the United States in population; its wealth invested in manufacturing industries exceeds $500,000,000, and it is the leading American city in shipbuilding, the manufacture of locomotive engines, street-railway cars, carpets, leather, oilcloth, and sev- eral other important commodities. In 1909 the for- eign commerce of Philadelphia amounted to $150,- 504,095.

History. — Penn's colony, founded in 1682, as a "holy experiment", by which each man could without molestation worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience (see Pennsylvania), soon became a welcome haven of refuge to the persecuted Catho- hcs of the neighbouring colonics. Since the mission- ary priests, mainly Jesuits, watched over the move- ments of the members of their scattered flocks, it is not surprising that in their frequent journeyings be- tween New York and Maryland they should find op- portunity to gather the faithful in the house of a Catholic for the celebration of the sacred mysteries and preaching the Word of God. There was a steady growth in the number of Catholics throughout the col- ony, including some distinguished converts. Repeated complaints were made to London, that the "Popish Mass" was read publicly at Philadelphia; but Penn's "Fundamental" shielded the Catholics in his province from molestation. The first resident priest in Philadel- phia was Father Joseph Greaton, S.J., who began his labours among the missions of Maryland and Pennsyl- vania in 1720. His first concern was to build a chapel and rectory. With this object he bought the ground where the first public chapel was erected in Philadel- phia, and where still stands old St. Joseph's church, near Fourth and Walnut Streets. In 1741 Father Greaton received an assistant in the person of Rev. Henry Neale, S.J. Welcome financial aid came to the Pennsylvania missions through the bounty of Sir John James, of London, who made a bequest in their fa- vour. The German immigrants were looked after by two missionaries from the Fatherland, Rev. Theodore Schneider of Heidelberg, who resided in Berks Co., at Goshenhoppen, and Father Wappeler of Westphalia, who attended the Catholics of Conewago and Lancas- ter. Father Neale died 5 May, 1748; and the aged Greaton retired to Maryland, where he ended his saintly career, 19 Aug., 17.53.

The second pastor of Philadelphia was Father Rob- ert Harding, born in Nottinghamshire, England, 6 Oct., 1701, who, having entered the Society of Jesus, came to America in 1732. He assumed charge of Phil- adelphia in 1749 and laboured with intelligence and success for twenty-f hree years. During the excitement of the French and Indian War charges of disloyalty were brought against the Cafliolics, but passed away without causing suffering. Father Harding estimated the Catholics of Philadelphia as about 2000. Another deserving labourer in the vineyard was the German Jesuit, Father Steinmeyer, known in the colony aa Ferdinand Fanner. He laboured first at Lancaster among the Germans, afterwards as assistant to Father Harding. He is described as a philosopher and as- tronomer, and in 1779 was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania. Father Harding purchased land for a new church and cemetery. The church \v;is opi'ued in 1763 as St. Mary's; it became the ).;irish cliurcli. St. Joseph's remaining a chapel. Father Harding died 1 Sept., 1772, and was interred .-it St. Mary's. He was succeeded by the Rev. Robert .Molyneux, who, to- gether with Father Farmer, skilfully guided the infant