Church of the Crucifixion reopens its doors
When BVNA’s newest committee on historic preservation took on its first historic nomination, the Episcopal Church of the Crucifixion at 807–11 Bainbridge St and 620–14 S 8th Street — few of us could have predicted the journey that lay ahead.
At the time the committee formed in 2018, our neighborhood had but a dozen properties listed on the city’s historic register, so it was clear we had our work cut out for us. The last property in Bella Vista to be designated was back in 1985 — the home of Octavius Catto, 814 South Street. (Notably, Catto was assassinated near a polling location exactly 150 years ago this month, just steps from his home, while working tirelessly to register recently eligible Blacks in Philadelphia to vote. Catto was actually a dedicated member at another Philadelphia Episcopal Church, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas).
So in 2019, with a few feature articles about properties of significance in our neighborhood under its belt — our preservation committee undertook the research required to submit a nomination for the Church of Crucifixion. After a few iterations to conform to the required rigor and depth that a submission requires, it was accepted in 2020.
The nomination demonstrated the criteria for significance of Crucifixion, including cultural political and social heritage, association with key persons or events, and the work of a notable designer or architect. In particular, W.E.B Du Bois, who was a member of the Church, noted in his book, that it was the second oldest Black church after St. Thomas, suggesting it as having “perhaps the most effective church organization in the city for benevolent and rescue work. [..] The Fresh Air Fund, ice mission, a vacation school of thirty-five children, and a parish visitor. It makes an especial feature of good music with its vested choir. This church especially reaches after a class of neglected poor whom the other colored churches shun or forget and for whom there is little fellowship in white churches.”
It is worth mentioning that, in parallel, the Historic Commission staff, perhaps while directing its attention to processing the nomination in our neighborhood, or perhaps independently, meanwhile brought forward two of their own nominations for Bella Vista properties with important links to African American leaders and institutions: the Frances Ellen Watkins (Harper) house, and the ICY (Samuel Randall School — the precursor to Cheyney University). In addition, two volunteers, Celeste A Morello and Oscar Beisert, brought forward nominations for Columbus Hall and the William and Letitia Still home, respectively.
The future of the church building, meanwhile, was far from clear. Throughout 2019 and early 2020, until the pandemic — the sanctuary and kitchen hosted RISE Philadelphia, a ministry of Saint Mark’s Church, for a series of bread baking and profound conversation around themes such as Empowerment: Women in Action, Rising Up from Oppression: Black Social Justice Movements in Philadelphia, Second Chances: Restorative Justice in Society, Owning Our Complicated Past, and a History of LGBTQ Activism in Philadelphia. The bread that was made by hand and rose during the conversation, was distributed to local organizations combating food insecurity.
Aside from that, there were indications the space, in whole or in part, may be redeveloped for residential use. The nomination, however, signaled a renewed interest by the community in the space, a broader yearning to reconnect with the rich history of the old Seventh Ward, with which Bella Vista’s history is intertwined, as well as demonstrated the community’s desire to support its history. And the Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez, took note.
In 2021, the church re-opened its doors. At the same time, the Friends of the Church of the Crucifixion was formed as a 501(c)(3), which brought together a diverse group of church leaders and neighbors, in order to support the work of the Church and fundraise for the necessary historic façade restoration. BVNA was honored to have been invited to participate.
2021 also brought a recognition through a street renaming, through a renaming of the 800 block of Bainbridge to “Henry L. Phillips Way”. First District Councilman Mark Squilla and other dignitaries were in attendance as Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez officially reopened the doors of the church.
Henry L Phillips was born Jamaica in 1847. Baptized a Catholic, reared a Moravian, and ordained an Episcopal priest, Phillips transformed the Church of the Crucifixion into a Black cultural center, known for its social outreach. He founded a historical society and served as rector of the Church of the Crucifixion for 25 years. During his ministry, Crucifixion became one of the leading churches in the nation known for its social programs, including the first penny savings bank for Blacks in the United States, expansion of the Home for the Homeless program (the only facility of its kind in the city for women and children of all races), and the first gymnasium for Blacks in Philadelphia. He remained active in encouraging neighbor engagement and church attendance into his late years, and celebrated his 100th birthday in March 1947.
The Bella Vista community has recognized that the Church of the Crucifixion holds a very significant place in our neighborhood’s history. With the first BVNA-submitted historic nomination it was clear that it will play an important role in our neighborhood’s future, as well.
Under the leadership of the new Vicar, Mother Yesenia “Jessie” Alejandro, ordained this year as the first female Hispanic priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, neighbors gradually began to see signs of life on a daily basis. From a weekly food pantry for those in need, to distribution of diapers and face masks, to numerous cultural and wellness activities such as traditional Puerto Rican drumming classes, dance, cooking, yoga in English and Spanish, and a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month — the space attracted the surrounding South Philly Spanish-speaking community as well as connected it through events to folks in North Philly and beyond.
With Sunday mass in Spanish as well as English, the reopened church is ministering to the growing Hispanic population in the city, as well as neighbors of all cultural backgrounds, and is once again serving the spiritual, social, and physical needs of the community — all in the middle of a pandemic.
The Friends of the Crucifixion, a 501(c)(3) designated group, has recently announced a capital campaign to help fund the restoration of the façade of
this historic building, as well as provide ADA accessibility and other improvements, which will better position it to continue its work in the community.
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BVNA understands that preservation is an action verb, and we are always interested in partnering with individual and institutional owners of historic properties to provide support in applying for eligible resources such as historic tax credits, complementary historical markers, or help promote programs such as benefit dinners or flea markets, all of which help raise much needed revenue to maintain the property while serving and maintaining a connection to the community. Please contact us if you would like to work together on supporting our neighborhood history while providing for its future.