FILADELFIA (city of the Decapolis): V. RABHA,
RABBATH AMMON.
FILADELFIA, ARCIDIOCESI di. — City in the State
of Pennsylvania and see of a metropolitan archdiocese
having as suffragans the dioceses of Altoona, Erie,
Arrisburg, Pittsburg, and Scranton. The territory of
the archdiocese extends over 10 counties of the same
State, with an area of approximately 13,150 sq. km.
In 1948, out of a population of 3,721,786 inhabitants,
there were 1,011,064 Catholics divided among 398 parishes
and 59 missions and 9 chapels, under the direction of
1,207 secular priests and 503 religious, with one diocesan
seminary, 6 colleges and academies, 55 High Schools with
approximately 35,000 pupils, and 295 parochial schools;
in 1946 there were 3,644 conversions.
There are also 44 male and 439 female religious
communities. F. has an auxiliary bishop, and the patroness
of the diocese is the Immaculate Conception. Founded in
1682 by William Penn, Pennsylvania became a refuge
for Catholics persecuted in the neighboring English colonies.
The first public chapel was built there in 1720 by the Jesuit
Giuseppe Grenton. In 1763 the first Catholic church of F.
was opened to the public, and at the end of the War of
Independence the first school was also inaugurated. The
German immigrants, assisted by priests of their own nationality
since 1741, had a church of their own in 1765. The
Augustinians opened a house of their Order there in 1801.
On 8 April 1808, all of Pennsylvania and Delaware, together
with the west and south of New Jersey, were erected into a
diocese with its see at F. The first bishop was Mgr. M. Egan
(d. in 1814). In 1843 the territory of the diocese was divided
with the creation of the new diocese of Pittsburg.
On 12 February 1875 F. was elevated to a metropolitan see.
Patrons of the archdiocese: the Immaculate Conception
(8 December) and the apostles Peter and Paul (29 June).
The archdiocese was solemnly consecrated to the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus on 15 October 1875.