SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K



                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        DATE OF THE REPORT (Date of Earliest Event Reported): May 1, 1998


                          REPUBLIC FIRST BANCORP, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


       PENNSYLVANIA                 0-17007                23-2486815
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION    (COMMISSION FILE        (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
     OF INCORPORATION)               NUMBER)           IDENTIFICATION NO.)

                    1608 WALNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA PA 19103
              (ADDRESS AND ZIP CODE OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)


       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE (215) 735-4422



          (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED FROM LAST REPORT)

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Item 5.  Other Events.

On May 1, 1998, the Registrant  announced the formation of a strategic  alliance
with  Fidelity  Bond  &  Mortgage  Company  ("Fidelity")  and  Phoenix  Mortgage
Company("Phoenix").  First  Republic  Bank,  a state  member bank of the Federal
Reserve System and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant,  acquired 47% of
Fidelity  common stock,  the  shareholders  of Phoenix  acquired 33% of Fidelity
common stock, and the existing  Fidelity  shareholders  retained 20% of Fidelity
common  stock.  A copy of the  press  release  announcing  this  transaction  is
attached as Exhibit 99.1.





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                                   SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                                  REPUBLIC FIRST BANCORP, INC.
                                                       (Registrant)


Dated:  May 8, 1998                               By: /s/ ROLF A. STENSRUD
                                                      Rolf A. Stensrud,
                                                      President







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