Our Community

The mission of The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (The American Cathedral in Paris) is to share the good news of God in Christ by worship, word, and example, as a parish church in the city of Paris and as a cathedral in Europe, living our faith and serving the common good, inspired by our American, Episcopal, and Anglican heritage and open to the cultures, languages and faiths that surround us. We pursue this mission through prayer, observance of the sacraments, fellowship, education, stewardship, and outreach to our community and the world beyond.

We are English-speaking and French-speaking, and we come from many countries. We are both transient and permanent residents. We love our liturgy; our open Eucharistic table and our music program define us. We once were a church serving rich and famous expats (great American fortunes built our Cathedral; the late Olivia de Havilland was a parishioner for 60 years). Now we are so much more than that. We are planted here, no matter where we came from, and we eagerly seek ways to grow and change over the next 100 years.

A recent survey of members and friends shows that we want to expand our work with at-risk Parisians and refugees, strengthen our welcome of LGBTQ+ communities, connect more deeply with Convocation churches and missions, and broaden interfaith, ecumenical, and ministry partnerships.

The Cathedral is a member of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. Akin to a diocese, the Convocation is a grouping of nine churches, nine mission congregations, and four specialized ministries spread geographically over seven countries in continental Europe. The Convocation is the jurisdiction of The Most Rev. Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop. The Cathedral, as a parish church and simultaneously the cathedral of the Convocation, is the seat of the Bishop-in-Charge, currently the Rt. Rev. Mark D. W. Edington, and the location of the Convocation’s offices.

Our Episcopal Identity

We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.

We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.

We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; people of all genders serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God, and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of sexual or gender identity or orientation.

We believe that God loves you—no exceptions.

Open to All

Since the early 1970’s, The Episcopal Church has been reflecting on how to minister to and with LGBTQ+ people. It was the first church to ordain an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, in 2003; and on December 1st, 2015, it added a new rite to the Book of Common Prayer to include the marriage of same-sex couples. Here at the Cathedral, we readily conduct same-sex marriage rites.

People of the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged to join our parish and actively participate in its spiritual and community life through service and volunteerism in our many ministries. We host an annual service on the weekend of French Pride and engage in outreach partnerships with associations that minister to LGBTQ+ people rejected by their families because of their sexuality or gender identity.

We bear witness to an Episcopal Church that, by its concrete actions, promotes inclusion and diversity.