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Tuesday 8am - 8pm Wednesday 8am - 8pm Thursday 8am - 8pm Friday 8am - 8pm Saturday 8am - 8pm Sunday 8am - 8pm

Preserve Old Swedes

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Philadelphia, PA
Preserve Old Swedes

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Preserving, restoring and interpreting Philadelphia's oldest church.

10/07/2026

🌊 **Lost at Sea: Seafaring Music & the Sailor Cenotaphs of Old Swedes’ Church**
🗓️ **October 25 @ 3:00 pm**

There’s a haunting beauty in the phrase “lost at sea.” Step back into the tumultuous 18th and 19th centuries, where sailors faced grueling labor, daring adventures, strict discipline, and life-threatening peril. Even as recently as 1980, tragedy struck with the loss of 34 mariners aboard the SS Poet.

Join us for an unforgettable experience with *The Publick Pleasure* as we pay tribute to those who never returned. Enjoy seafaring songs, instrumental melodies, shanties, and ballads that capture the essence of maritime life.

🎟️ **Tickets:**
$35 General Admission
$15 Students w/ID (includes a drink ticket for your choice of beverage, alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
Grab your advanced general admission tickets for just $30 each until the day before the event!
For a small donation, indulge in gourmet desserts paired with exquisite w**e, coffee, or tea.

Don’t miss this chance to celebrate the spirit of the sea!

09/30/2026

✨ Join us for "Conscience and Conflict: Religious Responses to the American Revolution" on October 8 @ 7:00 pm! 🌟

Explore the pivotal role of Philadelphia’s faith communities during the American Revolution. This thought-provoking panel discussion features leading experts who will delve into how faith leaders and their communities grappled with the revolution through the lens of their theological beliefs and diverse ethnic and racial identities.

🎤 **Introduction and Moderation by:** Dr. David Krueger, Executive Director of the Dialogue Institute and Religious Freedom Trails project.

🌟 **Panelists:**
Rev. Dr. Christopher Micklewright – Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) (Lutherans/Episcopalians)
Zach Biro – Christ Church (Anglicans/Episcopalians)
Sean Connolly – Arch Street Meeting House (Quakers)

🎟️ Admission is just $12 and includes a drink ticket for your beverage of choice (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). **Grab your advanced tickets for only $10 until the day before the event!**

Don't miss out—secure your spot today!

09/29/2026

In 1944, a fire destroyed a factory near Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Episcopal Church, marking one of Philadelphia's largest waterfront fires. Thankfully, the church was spared, but the graveyard suffered significant damage, with 45 gravestones crushed. This summer, we cleaned and preserved 20 gravestone fragments, which are now displayed on our “Memory Wall” open daily. Visitors can explore the stories of eight significant individuals through an audio tour on our free “Old Swedes” app or by using a brochure available in the sanctuary. This project was made possible by a $10,000 grant from America250PA and generous donations.

Learn more here: https://preserveoldswedes.org/memory-wall/

09/16/2026

🔍 Discover the captivating history of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church on **September 29 @ 1:00 pm**! 💵 **$15**

Step back in time as you visit this enchanting national historic site that predates William Penn’s arrival and the establishment of Pennsylvania. Built between 1698 and 1703, the church served generations of European settlers along the picturesque banks of the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers. Today, it stands as a vital link to a nearly forgotten past.

Join historian and archivist **Jeanette Woehr**, who will take you on a journey through the church’s rich history, highlighting significant figures who worshiped here or are honored in the graveyard.

📍 Attendees will gather inside the church building at **1:00 pm**. The enlightening lecture will last about an hour. Rain or shine!

🎟️ Tickets are just **$15 each**, and advanced registration is a must. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with history!

07/15/2026

Big news! We are thrilled to share that the Historic Gloria Dei Preservation Corporation has been awarded a 2026 grant from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund! This support provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund helps us continue our mission
to serve and nourish our community through art and culture right here in Philly. Thank you to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, PHLCouncil, and Mark Squilla for investing in the cultural vitality of our
neighborhoods!

05/29/2026

🌟 Join us on June 7 at 1:00 pm for a captivating journey through history at Gloria Dei Church! Nestled on nearly five acres of lush greenery, this national historic site is a testament to the past. Built between 1698 and 1703, the church was a beacon for European settlers along the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers.

Uncover the stories of our shared heritage with historian and archivist Jeanette Woehr, as she reveals the rich history of this sacred space and the influential figures who worshipped here or are honored in the graveyard.

Meet us inside the church at 1:00 pm for an enlightening tour that lasts about an hour, rain or shine! Tickets are just $15 each, and advanced registration is required. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with a nearly forgotten chapter of our history! Tickets are available at www.preserveoldswedes.org.

05/15/2026

🎶 The Franklin Quartet is coming back to Gloria Dei Church, and we can't wait to see you there! 🎶

Join us for "A Federal Fanfare at the Franklins’!"
🗓️ May 22 @ 7:00 PM.

Step into history with us as we immerse ourselves in the enchanting atmosphere of an 18th-century parlor music gathering at Benjamin Franklin’s estate, just after his transformative decade in Paris. Experience the joy of reconnecting with Philadelphia’s vibrant musical legacy, featuring compositions by Boccherini, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Gossec, Rigel, and Pleyel—many of whom were dear to Franklin and graced the salons of his friend Madame Brillon.

✨ Admission is just $30 for adults and $15 for students with ID, including a drink ticket for your choice of beverage! Be sure to register in advance to secure your spot!

After the concert, join us for a Meet-and-Mingle at Riverside Hall, where you can indulge in delectable gourmet desserts paired with w**e, coffee, or tea while conversing with these talented performers.

Don't miss this chance to celebrate music, culture, and history! Get your tickets today at www.preserveoldswedes.org.

05/08/2026

✨ Step back in time with us! Join tour guide Mike Teti for an unforgettable journey through Old City Philadelphia on May 17 @ 1:00 pm. Tickets are just $20!

🗺️ The adventure kicks off at the iconic John Barry statue, nestled in the square behind Independence Hall... Stroll through the very streets where revolution, faith, finance, and education intertw**ed during those pivotal years around 1776.

🚪 Starting in the State House Yard—the heart of the independence movement—this tour captures the essence of a city transforming from colonial capital to the dynamic political center of a new nation.

📚 Discover the institutions that shaped our history: from Philosophical and Library Halls, to the early campus of the University of Pennsylvania, Carpenters’ Hall, and the first banks that funded both war and peace.

⛪️ We’ll also dive into the rich tapestry of the city’s religious life—exploring St. Mary’s and its 1781 Te Deum for Yorktown, the Arch Street Meeting House, and the historic site of Zion Lutheran Church, where the community paid tribute to George Washington in 1799.

🔔 Our journey wraps up at Christ Church, the cherished parish home of many founders, and the birthplace of the legendary bells hidden during British occupation—an intriguing story intertw**ed with Gloria Dei itself.

👉 Don’t miss this chance to walk through history—grab your tickets now at www.preserveoldswedes.org.

Address

916 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA
19147

Opening Hours

Tuesday	8am - 8pm
Wednesday	8am - 8pm
Thursday	8am - 8pm
Friday	8am - 8pm
Saturday	8am - 8pm
Sunday	8am - 8pm

Telephone

+12156452755

Website

https://preserveoldswedes.org/

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