St. Augustine Church (Philadelphia)
St. Augustine's Catholic Church | |
St. Augustine Church in Philadelphia in 1974 | |
| Location | 4th and New Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°57′20″N 75°08′47″W / 39.955538°N 75.146511°W |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architect | Napoleon LeBrun |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001670 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 15, 1976 |
| Designated PHMC | October 28, 1995 |
St. Augustine Catholic Church, also called Olde St. Augustine's, is a historic Catholic church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Consecrated in 1848, the Palladian-style church was designed by Napoleon LeBrun. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The church was built to replace the Old St. Augustine Church which was completed in 1801. The first Augustinian church founded in the United States, the original St Augustine housed the Liberty Bell's "Sister Bell". The church was burned down in the anti-Catholic Philadelphia Nativist Riots on May 8, 1844. The church sued the city of Philadelphia for not providing it with adequate protection. The money awarded to the church went to rebuilding the current church, which broke ground on May 27, 1847. Organizations founded by the church led to the creation of both Villanova University and the Philadelphia Orchestra.