The arts at trinity
Trinity Guide to Art and Design
Trinity Episcopal Church
was founded in 1855 in the City of St. Louis. We made our home in five different locations until we moved to the Central West End in 1935. This building was first located in north St. Louis but was dismantled, moved and rebuilt here stone by stone in 1911.
The South Parish Hall designed by Harris Armstrong was added in 1954, and expanded in 2014 with an addition designed by Jim Riddle. The North Parish Hall designed by Henderson and Gantz was added in 1980.
Enter the red doors and look to your right and you will see...
The Holy Family
The Holy Family was painted by Frank Douglas Blanchard, who presented it to Trinity in memory of the Rev. Charles Bewick, who died of Aids in 1989 after serving at Trinity for three years.
To your right is the Chapel. Enter the chapel and to your left is...
The St. Cecilia Window
The St. Cecilia Window was designed by Lea Koesterer. In 1987, the Society of St. Cecilia gave Trinity the window to honor the group's founders, Mary Gallatin and Helen Hendry. It was first installed in the music hall on the other side of the narthex but was moved here after the new organ was installed.
To the right of the window on the south wall of the chapel is...
The Chapel Altar and Altarpiece
The Altar was designed by the firm of Eames and Walsh and painted by Charles Quest in 1935. It was restored in May 1987. The altar is sometimes moved to the front of the sanctuary for Saturday evening services.
The Altarpiece is made of ceramic tiles designed and created in 2001 by parishioner Patricia Degener.
On the Chapel Altar is...
The Brass Cross
This Brass Cross dates from 1883 and contains the ashes of a wooden cross, supposedly the first Episcopal cross used in St. Louis. The cross burned in 1865 along with Trinity's first church building at the corner of Washington and 11th streets. The cross is inscribed in honor of Margaret Foote Thomson, who died in 1863, and Maggie Larkin Thomson, who died in 1864.
To the right of the altar in the west wall of the chapel is...
The St. Francis Window
This window was designed and created by the Emil Frei Company in 1935. It contains a fragment portrait of St. Francis from Reims Cathedral. This was brought to St. Louis by a nurse who served in France during World War I, and came into the possession of Lee Orcutt, who served as a warden of the church.
Also on the west wall of the chapel is...
On The Surface of Things
This installation consisting of eight gold-leaf rectangles highlighting flaws in the wall was created in 2019 by John Early, faculty member in the Art Department at Washington University in St. Louis. His full artist's statement can be found on the arch entrance to the chapel.
Walk out of the chapel, turn right, and enter the sanctuary through the brown leather doors. At the back of the center aisle is..
The Baptismal Font
The Baptismal Font was carved in 1890 to the glory of God and in loving memory of Charles Robertson Wilson. It is inscribed: "Suffer Little Children to Come Unto Me."
Continue down the center aisle to the front of the church. In front of you is...
The Trinity Christus Rex
The Trinity Christus Rex was commissioned from the firm of Eames and Walsh in 1935. The body of Christ was sculpted by parishioner Victor Berlindis and painted by Charles Quest. The whole piece was refurbished by parishioner Mary King Swayzee in 1984.
Below the Christus Rex is...
The St. James Altar
The Altar from the original St. James Church was carved in 1892. As was customary at the time, the altar was placed against the east wall. In 1975 it was moved away from the wall to allow the celebrant to face the congregation from behind it. It is inscribed, "The Prophet Died for Our Sins."
To the left of the Altar is...
The Marcell Aumbrey
The Aumbrey is a niche where the consecrated bread and wine are kept. This space was created in 1975, and the bronze door was commissioned in 1984 from sculptor Lawrence L. Marcell.
To the right of the Altar is...
The Credence Table
The Credence Table, also from the original St. James Church, was likely carved around 1908. It is engraved "In loving memory of Mabel Mary Hulse" and depicts Jesus the Shepherd wearing a crown of thorns.
Also to the right of the altar is a place where we hang a variety of banners at different times during the church year. These banners were all created byTrinity parishioners.
The Chapman Banner
This banner is one of two made in 1993 by Marjorie Hoeltzel as a tribute to Father William D. Chapman (Rector of Trinity, 1980-1993). Both banners include scraps of fabric donated by parishioners. The second was given as a gift to Father Chapman and his wife, Ellie.
The Trinity Banner
This banner was created in 2005 to commemorate our sesquicentennial. It was made by Jeff Wunrow of many different fabrics including some donated by Trinity members. The reverse side is also pieced and decorated with embroidery. The bells and silk flowers can be seen from both sides.
The Creation Banner
This banner was created by Jeff Wunrow to depict the six days of creation plus the seventh day of rest. It was commissioned by a former Senior Warden as a gift for the Sunday School program.
The Sampson Banner
This Easter banner was commissioned in memory of parishioner Michael Sampson by his sister Pat Sampson.
The Cathedral Banner
Another banner hangs at Christ Church Cathedral, the seat of the Episcopal Diocese in Eastern Missouri. It represents our parish community. The communion wafer is made of fabric donated by church members.
To the left of the chancel area is the pulpit, and on the wall behind the pulpit is the...
The Ledbetter Crucifix
This crucifix was hand-carved in 1996 by the Rev. Roy Ledbetter, a former parishioner and Moravian pastor.
To the left of the altar on the north wall is the first of fourteen Stations of the Cross.
The Marcell Stations
The Stations of the Cross are a setoff fourteen bronzes commissioned in 1975 from sculptor Lawrence L. Marcell to celebrate Trinitys 120th anniversary. They begin in the northeast corner of the sanctuary and proceed to the left along the north, west and south walls.
Trinitarians created a new set of Stations in 2006. You can see those artworks here.
Follow the stations around the church to the opposite side of the sanctuary to the final station pictured here.
The All Saints Altar
For All Saints Day, November 1, we honor our cloud of witnesses by bringing photos of our ancestors and loved ones to create an altar to their memory. The All Saints Altar is displayed in the niche to the right of the lectern each November.
The Trinity Nativity
In the same location each Christmas season we display a creche of child-friendly figures which were sewn by Kate Worland and embroidered by Gil Fisher in 1995. Gil and Kate modeled the figures--diverse in race, age, and sex--on other members of Trinity.
Go back to the center aisle in front of the Altar. This spot in the center aisle is often used for temporary art installations. Photos of some of these can be seen in the back hallway on the way to the north parish hall.
As you leave the church, look up at...
The Trinity Window
Unfortunately, nothing is known about this beautiful stained glass window which graces the west wall of the sanctuary.
As you leave the church building, if you turn left on the flagstone path and walk around to the All Saints' Memorial Garden, in the southwest corner of the garden you will see...
The Trinity Monument
This monument was created by Bill Severson in the 1970s as a tribute to Trinity's lasting presence in the CWE and as a testament to the power and love of Christ. It has become the basis of our logo and other visual designs.
Trinity is a progressive Episcopal Church