Church of the Holy Trinity

The Church of the Holy Trinity is located at 10 Trinity Square in downtown Toronto. Trinity Square is surrounded by the Eaton Centre on the east side, the Dundas/Bay Parking garage and Canadian Tire store on the north side and office buildings on the west side. Therefore it is difficult to see from the street. However Trinity Square is easily accessible three ways:

From inside the Eaton Centre at the south end of the Sears store, exit via the west side doors and you will immediately see the square and the church.

On the east side of Bay St. just south of Dundas St. there is a walkway with a clear view of the church and leading into Trinity Square.

From Queen St. walk north on James St. into Trinity Square and the side entrance to the church is immediately ahead.

Here is a map of the area. Map

The Church of the Holy Trinity opened in 1847 following the gift of an anonymous donor (later revealed as Mary Lambert Swale of Settle, England). Mrs. Swale had stipulated that all pews were to be free and unreserved, a tenet of the High Church party in England at the time.

The architect was H.B. Lane, who also designed Little Trinity (on King Street) and St. George the Martyr. The interior was originally extremely plain. During the 1930s -- the depression years -- the church became known as a home of the social gospel under the then rector, The Reverend John Frank. Patricia Frank, his wife, instituted The Christmas Story, produced every year since 1937.

James Fisk, Rector from 1962-1976, made a dynamic impact on Holy Trinity. During his rectorship the laity came to take a larger part in worship and governing the parish. The congregation, with supporters from the larger community, successfully fought efforts by a developer to have the church torn down. A fire in 1977 caused damage to the original ceiling and south windows. In 1989 the interior walls of the church, painted in the nineteenth century. In 2009 the organ from Deer Park United Church was moved and installed in Holy Trinity. Built in 1970, Casavant Opus 3095 has mechanical key action, electric stop action with 3,557 pipes, comprising 48 stops and 74 ranks. Given the church’s excellent acoustics, Holy Trinity has become a superb venue for concerts showcasing the new pipe organ.

Gillian Weir

Friday, May 1, 2009
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25/$20 (students, seniors, RCCO)

John Paul Farahat

Monday, May 4, 2009
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Mark Edwards

Monday, May 11, 2009
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Jean-Willy Kunz

Monday, May 18
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Open Doors

Saturday, May 23, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Brass & Pipes (Toronto)

Monday, May 25, 2009
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Free Admission