Holy Trinity

The façade of the house features details that reveal the different ‘lives’ this building has had over the centuries. From the entrance porch at the intersection of Rue Sainte-Claire and Rue d'Amiens, five centuries of history are revealed: starting with the two dates next to the porch, which refer to the era of the Trinitarian convent (17th century), then the neo-Gothic architecture of the current entrance dating from the time of the Benedictines (19th century), the shell marks and the building's role during the First World War, when it was used as the Saint-Sacrement Ambulance (temporary hospital), and finally the period of reconstruction and expansion for the arrival of seminarians from 1919 onwards. Since the early 2000s, the building, now known as the Maison diocésaine Saint-Vaast, has housed the administrative services of the bishopric as well as accommodation and catering facilities for church groups and visitors. 

Inside, the former neo-Gothic church dating from 1846, built by architect Alexandre Grigny, was destroyed during the bombings of 1914–1915 and replaced by the neo-Romanesque chapel built between 1926 and 1930 by architect Pierre-Marie Clavier. It also houses a Way of the Cross, the work of artist Lucien Jonas (1880-1947), a native of Anzin in the Nord department who was appointed official painter of the Navy (military painter) during the First World War. The reconstruction also allowed for the creation of a crypt of the same dimensions as the chapel, located just below it, which still houses altars for celebrations, allowing seminarians to learn how to celebrate Mass.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)