Hidden City Philadelphia's Kimberly Haas visited the north garden today to see the latest phase of our steeple restoration campaign -- the removal of the bishop's mitre and the weathervane that crown the steeple's spire. The artifacts will be regilded at Material Conservation's Kensington studio before returned to their place on Old City's skyline.

"Today’s event was a rare opportunity for people to be close enough to read an inscription on the mitre," writes Haas. "Calling the mitre 'one of the rarest and most special of the artifacts of the Episcopal Church in the United States,' Rev. Tim Safford read the inscription, the lettering faint through the weathered patina. 'The Right Reverend William White, D.D., consecrated Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Pennsylvania, February 4, 1787.’”

Read the full article here, and click below for KYW's radio coverage of the event.

(Image Credit: Kimberly Haas)