07/21/2026
Wandering through Wissahickon Valley Park, it’s easy to admire the beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife. But did you know that the forest now known for its hiking trails was once occupied by what might have been the first doomsday cult?
Led by German mystic, scholar, and composer Johannes Kelpius, the sect referred to themselves as The Society of the Woman of the Wilderness, inspired by Revelation 12:6 in the bible. This verse tells the story of a woman who flees into the wilderness to escape a dragon. Kelpius and his followers were convinced that the world would end in 1694, and believed that it was their duty to await this apocalypse at the edge of a forest. Not only was Philadelphia an attractive location due to its reputation for religious tolerance, but also because of its geographical location. For the mystics, the number 40 held the highest spiritual significance, and Philadelphia’s placement at 40 degrees north of the equator made it the ideal site for them to live out their remaining days in prayer.
In the early months of 1694, Kelpius led his followers from Germany across the Atlantic, settling at the edge of the Wissahickon Valley. The 40 monks lived communally, but it is thought that they spent solitary time meditating, practicing astrology, and studying alchemy in the forest’s many caves. Although their predicted end of the world clearly never came, the group integrated into Philadelphia’s communities after the death of Kelpius in 1708, earning places as valued and influential scholars, musicians, and doctors.
📷: Johannes Kelpius portrait by Dr. Christopher Witt, 1705
