Holy Trinity Church

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Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a Catholic church located in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Located in the Georgetown neighborhood, it was established in 1787 and finished construction in 1794 and is the oldest Roman Catholic house of worship in both Georgetown and the larger city of Washington, D.C. The original building was vacated due to the lack of space and is now the Chapel of St. Ignatius, which is used as an auxiliary space for parish activities.History of the churchHoly Trinity Church was established in 1787 at which is now 3513 N Street NW. It was originally called "Georgetown Chapel" because of the uncertainty of the laws against erecting Catholic churches. It was founded by Archbishop John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in America and a cousin of Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In addition to Carroll, the church had four lay trustees, Adam King, George King, George Fenwick and James Simpson. This church faced south and included a bell tower. During the early years it primarily served the growing Catholic population of Georgetown and the students of Georgetown College (now University).The congregation soon outgrew its original building, and in 1829 a larger structure was erected at 1301 36th Street NW. This structure faced west, and did not include a tower. The first church was retained and renamed the Chapel of St. Ignatius. During the American Civil War, the US government used the church as a hospital to treat more than 200 injured soldiers after the Second Battle of Bull Run in 1862. The government returned the building to the congregation in 1863 and later reimbursed them $350 for use of the building.