page_title: Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church (Hartford, Connecticut)
section_title: First pastor
hierarchical_section_title: Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church (Hartford, Connecticut) / First pastor
caption_attribution_description: English: Hartford Holy Trinity Church First Stage Building 1915
context_page_description: Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is a parish church in the Archdiocese of Hartford located in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The parish was founded by Lithuanian immigants at the turn of the 20th-century. Begun in 1912, the current church building realized its current form in 1927.
context_section_description: From 1903, Father Zebris had dual pastor duties at the New Britain and Hartford Lithuanian Churches. In New Britain the ongoing construction of a Lithuanian church needed funds and Father Zebris, it was alleged, started borrowing unauthorized monies from Hartford's Holy Trinity Church. As a necessity, Father Zebris withdrew from Holy Trinity Church affairs in June 1912 and was transferred by Bishop John J. Nilan, to assume the duties of pastor at St. Joseph Polish Church, Norwich. Also in June 1912, Bishop Nilan appointed a Lithuanian Pastor, the Reverend John J. Ambot, to Holy Trinity Church in Hartford. Energetic and dedicated, Father Ambot worked for the parish and for the welfare of the Lithuanian community. The church flourished in attendance, and various Catholic Lithuanian societies were established. Father Zebris later died on February 8, 1915, but he had paid most of the money back to Holy Trinity Church.
  Father Ambot was approached with a plan – to join together the New Britain and Hartford churches. He declined. All along, Father Ambot wished to build a cohesive church in Hartford. Because the present church could not accommodate the influx of Hartford's Lithuanian Catholics, Father Ambot had to expand the chapel. Since the lot for the church was very small, first the existing chapel (the old building) was moved to the area behind the space for the new church building. Two horses were used to move the two-story building over six months in 1913 about 100 feet (30 m). Construction was underway. The cornerstone of the new church was blessed in the summer of 1915. The high ceilinged basement and the engaging facade of the future church were completed by Christmas of the same year. The price was 30,000. dollars.
  For 51 years, Father Ambot worked diligently and vibrantly as provost of Holy Trinity Church. Due to his capability, devotion, unending activity and understanding the needs of an ethnic church, this was a big stimulus to the parish. Holy Trinity began to flourish, as it moved forward.
  In 1916, the lot adjacent to the church property, 53 Capitol Avenue, was purchased for $20,000. by the parish. This parcel of land contained two buildings - one was a brick structure, the other wooden. The brick home was used as the rectory. The wooden house was initially a residence for the organist and later as a place for Franciscan monks to live. Then in 1924, this building became a convent for the teachers of the parish school.
  In 1925, it was decided by parishioners that a complete renovation of the church was needed, so that it would be uniform, not built at different times or added on. Costing slightly more than $100,000., the result was the church as we know it today. Two tall towers would grace the front of the church, one tower would hold 3 gold embossed bells. The inside of the church would house three altars with gold gilding, a large pipe organ, oak pews, and colorful statues as well as stained windows. This work was completed in March 1927 and on March 18, 1928, it was dedicated. For unknown reasons the previous parish name did not survive, and the church was renamed Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church.
  Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe, on April 18, 1939, gave John J. Ambot, the title of Monsignor. Until his death on December 19, 1963, at the age of 93, Monsignor Ambot, was an experienced, beloved leader that by example, led the parishioners to work in unity, devoting their time to their church and cognizant of the spiritual value it presented to their lives.
caption: Hartford Holy Trinity Church First Stage Building 1915
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