Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Washington, D.C.) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Catholic Church |
|
|---|---|
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 2022
|
|
| 38°54′26″N 77°04′12″W / 38.90722°N 77.07000°W | |
| Location | 3513 N Street NW Washington, D.C. |
| Country | U.S. |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Religious institute | Society of Jesus |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1787 |
| Founder(s) | Francis Neale |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Years built | 1787 (renamed Chapel of St. Ignatius) 1851 (present building) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Washington |
Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a Catholic church in Georgetown, a neighborhood in Washington, D.C.. It is managed by the Jesuit order, which is a group of Catholic priests and brothers.
Holy Trinity Parish started in 1787. It is the oldest Roman Catholic community and church that has been continuously open in both Georgetown and Washington, D.C. The first church building was finished in 1794. Today, this old building is called the Chapel of St. Ignatius. It is used for smaller church events and other parish activities. As the community grew, a larger church building was needed. This new church was opened in 1851 and is still the main church today.
Contents
History of Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Parish began in 1787 at 3513 N Street NW. The first building was called "Georgetown Chapel." This was because laws against building Catholic churches were not always clear at the time. Archbishop John Carroll helped start the church. He also founded Georgetown College and later became the first Catholic bishop in America. John Carroll was a cousin of Charles Carroll, who signed the Declaration of Independence.
The church had four other leaders: Adam King, George King, George Fenwick, and James Simpson. The first church building faced south and had a bell tower. In its early years, it mainly served the growing Catholic community in Georgetown. It also served students from Georgetown College (now University). The first pastor, or head priest, was Rev. Francis Neale, S.J.
The church community quickly grew too large for the original building. So, in 1851, a bigger church was opened at 1301 36th Street NW. This new building faced west and did not have a tower. The first church building was kept and later named the Chapel of St. Ignatius.
During the American Civil War, the United States government used the church as a hospital. After the Second Battle of Bull Run in 1862, more than 200 injured soldiers were treated there. The government gave the building back to the church in 1863. They also paid the church $350 for using the building.
Holy Trinity Parish also started a school for boys, Holy Trinity School, in 1818. It first used a house near the church. In 1818, the parish built a schoolhouse at N and 35th Streets NW. Holy Trinity School taught students from first to eighth grade. The school closed in 1829 but reopened in 1831. In 1871, the church changed its original building into a school. Later, in 1918, the parish built two more school buildings.
Many important people have attended Holy Trinity Church. President John F. Kennedy, who was Catholic, and his family often went to church here. A special plaque in front of the church remembers his visits. Joe Biden also worshiped here when he was Vice-President and later as President. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also attended services at Holy Trinity while she was in Washington.
Cemeteries of Holy Trinity Church
Original Church Cemetery (1787)
A cemetery was originally located where the 1851 church and the Lower School now stand. This burial ground was there before Holy Trinity Church bought the land. In 1796, the church bought more land to the west. By 1798, the church owned all the land west to 36th Street. Many graves were moved in 1817 when this burial ground closed. However, hundreds of graves still remained as late as 1917. Over time, almost all the grave markers have disappeared.
In 1998, Holy Trinity Church began building an addition. During construction, workers found a skull and some small bones. This led to an investigation. The remains of 44 people were found, including men, women, and children. Some of these burials dated back to 1837, and others to 1865. At least one person was African American. These remains were respectfully reburied in another cemetery.
College Ground Cemetery
In 1818, Holy Trinity Church started a new burial ground. It was located on the north side of P Street NW, near Georgetown University's Maguire Hall. This cemetery was known by several names, but most often as College Ground. The first burial there happened on December 8, 1818. A small chapel dedicated to St. Francis Xavier was also built there.
One well-known person buried at College Ground was Susan Decatur. She was the wife of United States Navy hero Stephen Decatur. In 1837, Susan Decatur gave a large sum of money to Georgetown University. This donation helped save the university from closing due to financial problems. Many African slaves, some owned by institutions like the university, were also buried in College Ground.
Church records show that by 1833, more than a thousand people were buried at College Ground. Burials stopped that year. The cemetery later fell into disrepair. Many tombstones were broken or moved. By the early 1930s, people thought the land was empty. In 1931, Georgetown University began building a new dorm, Copley Hall. When workers started clearing a nearby lot, they rediscovered College Ground. The university then agreed to restore and care for the burial ground.
However, by 1953, the university needed the land for new buildings. Georgetown University stated that 189 sets of remains were there. Fifty were moved to Mount Olivet Cemetery. Most of the others were moved to Holy Trinity Church's Holy Rood Cemetery. Some families claimed remains, and a few were reburied in other cemeteries.
Holy Rood Cemetery
College Ground closed because Holy Trinity Church got a new, larger burial ground in 1832. This was Holy Rood Cemetery. It was first called the Upper Grave Yard. The cemetery was made larger in 1853. A sexton's house, where the cemetery caretaker lived, was built at the entrance. The grounds were made larger again in 1866 and 1867. It reached its current size of about 6 acres. A new sexton's house was built, and a stone wall and new main gate were put up on Wisconsin Avenue NW. At this time, Upper Grave Yard was renamed Holy Rood Cemetery.
Since 1942, Georgetown University has owned Holy Rood Cemetery. The university closed the cemetery to new burials in 1984, except for special requests. There are 7,312 known burials there. There are also many unknown graves of people who could not afford a burial. In 1984, the university tried to move all the remains to use the land for building. However, a lawsuit by the families of those buried there stopped them. The university then agreed to keep the cemetery open for visitors. They agreed to continue basic care like mowing and weeding.
After the 1942 agreement, Holy Trinity Church has not had its own cemetery for parish use. Church members now use other Catholic cemeteries in the area. These include Mount Olivet Cemetery in D.C. or Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2018, Holy Trinity and Georgetown University announced a plan to restore Holy Rood Cemetery. This plan includes repairs, landscaping, and improvements to the entrance. The plan will also allow Holy Trinity to build a columbarium at the cemetery. A columbarium is a place where urns holding ashes of cremated people are stored.
Pastors of Holy Trinity Church
Many priests from the Jesuit order have served as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish since its founding. The first pastor was Francis Neale, who served from 1790 to 1817. The current pastor is C. Kevin Gillespie, who began his service in 2015.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad (Washington D. C.) para niños
- List of Jesuit sites
