A Blog Post - Mostly for St. Paul’s Parishioners – Visiting the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris

Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral - Rue George V Paris

Elisabeth and I went to the Episcopal Church in Paris yesterday – yes there is one here!  The Church of the Holy Trinity is the Pro-Cathedral for the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe which is connected with Region II in New York.

Holy Trinity is on the rue George V in the 8^th arrondissement – just down the street from the Four Seasons George V Hotel – a very nice part of Paris.  We have attended here in the past when staying in Paris.  Since I am missing two Chapter Meetings at St. Paul’s, I definitely needed to do a “make up!”  To redeem myself a little, I was able to collect information on Holy Trinity’s activities at their annual Ministry Fair.

Ministry Fair - There was food at every table to entice you into  volunteering!

Entering Holy Trinity is an interesting experience in itself.  One minute you are walking along a Parisian street and then you step inside Holy Trinity and suddenly you are transported across the Pond!  The church is similar to St. Paul’s in San Diego but smaller with a more embellished Gothic Revival architectural style.  The nave is lined with flags of various American states.  Instead of a kneeling rail there are individual stools embroidered with different patterns and names of states – I had South Dakota yesterday! Even the bulletin looked like St. Paul’s except they actually use the 1982 Hymnal in the service.  Although this will be heresy at St. Paul’s, I prefer using the hymnal itself – never saw myself as such a traditionalist before! 

The Nave

The choir at Holy Trinity is excellent – about 30-40 members. Yesterday’s Offertory Anthem was very different from the norm on our previous visits - a Spiritual – “Ain’t That Good News” – arranged by Moses Hogan.  In the past, music has been traditional in the St. Paul’s style – “lots of Bach!”  After receiving the Eucharist, the choir sings the communion anthem from the back of the nave – this week it was by Francesco Guerrerro – “Simile est regnum.” 

Since the Memorial Organ is a popular current topic at St. Paul’s, the following is information from Holy Trinity’s website on their “Grand Orgue” that you may find interesting. 

The Cathedral's Grand Orgue , built in 1887 by the prestigious French firm Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, was inaugurated on October 5, 1887, by Alexandre Guilmant. It has been suggested that Marcel Dupré is the person most responsible for the evolution of the instrument, which is still one of the largest in Paris: it was Dupré who acted as consultant, first in 1922, again in 1930, then again in the 1950s, with Maurice Duruflé. The latest restoration was completed in 1993 by the organ firm of Bernard Dargassies with the generous support of the Paulé Foundation and other Cathedral members. The organ was re-dedicated on February 21, 1993, and re-inaugurated on May 18, 1993, by Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, and on May 30, 1993, by Marilyn Keiser.

Yes – their organ was built and inaugurated in the same year as St. Paul’s Memorial Organ!

Not only were the origins of the two organs from 1887 but they are also similar in other respects – they seem to be channeling each other’s behavior.  The following described the need for the organ rehabilitation in the Holy Trinity Capital Campaign brochure:

Our historic Cavaille-Coll organ, built in 1887, now consistently malfunctions; indeed it has developed a frustrating “mind of its own.”

On Sunday the organ decided to play notes whenever it wanted – thought I was back at St. Paul’s!

Holy Trinity is about to start on a 5 million Euro construction and rehabilitation project of the Cathedral including the “Grand Orgue.”  The fundraising started in 2008 and then stopped due to the financial crash – sound familiar St. Paul’s?

 

The Sermon on Sunday was by Canon Elizabeth Hendrick with Dean Zachary Fleetwood presiding.  The Dean, a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary,  is retiring and taking on a ministry with the Episcopal Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.  


Excellent sermon – very much “a la Allisyn” in style.  There was even the “Wherever you are on the journey of faith…” introduction with the announcements.  The congregation is very welcoming so everything about Holy Trinity makes you feel right at home – even the organ  plays without an organist!   

The history of Holy Trinity is interesting.  It was established in the 1830s for the American community in Paris.  The first home of the church is now the official residence of the Prime Minister of France.  The rector in the 1870s, a cousin of J.P. Morgan, successfully completed a capital campaign that resulted in the purchase of the current site and the construction of the present church.  It was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1886 coinciding with the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in New York.  The church became the Pro-Cathedral in 1922 – it is the seat of the bishop in charge of the American Episcopal Churches in Europe.  This “Convocation” acts like a Diocese – but isn’t – as I understand it – there is no specific territory.  There are eight parishes and several mission churches.  The Convocation also supports a “house church” for Episcopalians in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Who knew?

If anyone from St. Paul’s is in Paris, Holy Trinity can be a home away from home!

The beautiful triptych behind the alter is by Arthur E. Street and Edwin A. Abbey.  The latter painted murals for the Boston Public Library along with John Singer Sargent