FILADELFIA, ARCIDIOCESI di - The liberty bell that was rung for the declaration of independence in 1776.
Filadelfia. Independence Hall.
It was also called “Little Athens.” It is among the seven churches addressed in the Apocalypse (1, 11). In the letter addressed to the “angel of the church of F.” (Apoc. 3, 7-13) we find only praise: the small Christian community had withstood well the Jewish persecutions of the “synagogue of Satan” (3, 9).
S. Ignatius of Antioch likewise warns the Philadelphians against the Jews (Ad Philad., 6). The Constitutiones apostol. (VII, 46: PG 1, 1953) claim that the first bishop of F., Demetrius, was sent by s. Peter.
Among the earliest faithful of F. there is mention of a prophetess named Amnia (Miltiades, in Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 5, 17: PG 20, 473).
It was the last city of the Byzantine empire in Anatolia to fall under the Turks. Conquered by Bajazid in 1390, it was called Alasehir (splendid city). It presently has about 30,000 inhabitants.