Welcome to the Lehigh Valley Landmarks with Leon podcast series, celebrating 250 years of independence. I'm your host, Rachel Leon. Since being elected in 2022 and serving as Vice President of Bethlehem City Council, I'm humbled by the opportunity to serve the diverse communities that make up our great city. But to understand where we're going, we need to understand our past. Each week, I'll share a short feature with a big story about the 250 years that made the Lehigh Valley and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, known as the Christmas City, as we explore historic landmarks.
When you think of early supporters of religious freedom, Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf was one of the most revered, born in 1700 into German nobility. At a young age, he purchased an estate in Bethelsdorf, Germany and opened his doors to a group of Protestant refugees from Moravia, now the Czech Republic. The village of Hernhut, Germany that formed on his land soon became a haven for religious refugees.
In 1737, Zinzendorf was made a bishop of the Moravian faith. During the 1730s and 1740s, he embarked on a massive missionary project known as the Christian Moravian movement, spreading Moravianism in Europe, the West, Indies and the Americas. During this time, he visited Pennsylvania and helped establish Moravian missionaries. In 1741, they put down roots and began constructing what became the Moravian community of Bethlehem.
When the Moravian community outgrew the Saal, or the chapel at the Gemeinhaus, a second place of worship was built, called the Chapel. On Saturday, July 10, 1751, Bishop John Nitschman made a dedication when the church was opened. During the elaborate ceremony, a cantata was presented, which was composed for the occasion. Moravians believe that music is more than just singing or playing instruments. It's a way of life, a form of worship and a powerful tool for connecting with God and each other. Moravian Church services aimed to evoke strong emotions. In the early years, trombone choirs often performed, which was unusual at the time.
On the ground floor of the two story stone structure was a tiled dining hall for the married people's choir. The upper floor served as a place of worship. The significance of the chapel as a historical site grew following visits by prominent figures like George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis de Lafayette. It also played a key role in the Moravian community's early worship and the baptism of Native Americans.
Gradually, as the chapel became too small to serve the needs of the growing community, the Central Moravian Church was built in 1806 and the chapel became known as the Old Chapel.
Taken from A History of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 1741 to 1892 by author J.M. Levering, a passage dated February 11, 1757 reads, "because the brethren are getting in the habit of coming tardy to services, the sacrosanct will plan in future to call the brothers who is to conduct the service seven or eight minutes after the bell has rung, those watching at the door will then lock them."
Today, the Old Chapel keeps its doors unlocked each Friday and Saturday from 2-4 PM for visitors to learn about the Moravian daily textbook and a short daily devotion that has been a part of Moravian tradition since 1731. Visit historicbethlehem.org to learn more about their tours. The Old Chapel is a contributing structure in the historic Moravian Bethlehem district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
