For Immediate Release
Contact:
Fran Connors
610-348-1104
[email protected]
Historical Church of St. Philip Neri In Queen Village Celebrates Its 175th
Anniversary
Mass Officiated by Archbishop Charles Chaput To Highlight Year-Long Celebration
Philadelphia, Pa., March 16 – This is an extraordinary year for the Church of St.Philip Neri, one
of the most historic institutions in Philadelphia. It’s celebrating its 175th anniversary.
Founded in 1840 and named in honor of St. Philip Neri (1515-1595), who was venerated for his
kindness and charity, the SPN parish is commemorating its rich history and promising future
with a series of special events throughout 2015.
“Celebrating the 175th anniversary of Church of St. Philip Neri is an excellent opportunity for
our parish to recognize our historic past and continue our mission of spiritual and social service
to others,” says Father James Oliver, pastor of SPN. “With our anniversary combined with the
Pope’s visit to Philadelphia in October for the World Meeting of Families, these are truly
exciting times for our vibrant parish community.”
A major highlight of the year-long celebration is a 175th Anniversary Mass to be officiated by
Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia, at Church of St. Philip Neri on
Sunday, April 19 at 11:00 AM.
The Anniversary Mass at Church of St. Philip Neri, which is located in the heart of Queen
Village at 218 Queen Street, is open to current and former parishioners and members of other
religious faiths. Following Mass all attendees are invited to a reception featuring food and
beverage.
SPN’s long and storied history is marked by several distinctions including:

The first church in the Philadelphia diocese to be founded as a free church relying on
freewill instead of pew rentals and annual fees, which were traditionally collected from
parishioners at other Catholic churches in Europe and America.
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St. Philip Neri Celebrates Its 175th Anniversary
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
The first commission of Eugene Napoleon LeBrun (1821-1901), a well-know
Philadelphia architect, who designed the church at the age of 18. He later designed
Philadelphia’s Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul and the Academy of Music.

The first diocesan program of Forty Hours of Devotion in the United States was opened
at SPN on May 26, 1853 and introduced by St. John Neumann in honor of St. Philip Neri,
who initiated the Forty Hours Devotion in Rome three centuries before.
As part the 175th Anniversary celebration, there will be a special observance of this 40-hour
period of continuous prayer at Church of St.Philip Neri from May 18-20.
The Church of St. Philip Neri also is historic for surviving the most violent Nativists riots in
Philadelphia. The Southwark riots of 1844, with SPN at its epicenter, were the first time in the
city’s history that government troops were forced to raise arms against civilians to maintain
public order.
In addition to the April 19 Mass featuring Archbishop Chaput as the main celebrant and the
special 40 Hours of Devotion period in May, SPN has scheduled special events each month
throughout the year to celebrate its 175th anniversary. These include picnics in Mario Lanza Park
on July 6 and September 6 and a commemorative banquet in October.
For more information and a complete list of events, visit www.stphilipneriqueenvillage.org.
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