Holy Cross Catholic Church

The oldest church in Columbus is Holy Cross Catholic Church. It first started in 1833 as a mission of the Dominicans of Somerset, Ohio. Construction began on a building in 1837. It started with a few German Catholic families and later saw a surge of immigrants from both Germany and Ireland after 1848. Much later it was popular with the growing Spanish population in Columbus. The first church began as Saint Remingius. Over the years the small building couldn’t accommodate the growing number of parishioners. Construction began on the present church in 1844. It was renamed Holy Cross.

The present building was officially dedicated on Jan. 19, 1848. The building features 800,000 bricks. A fire caused major damage in 1877. As repairs were made, spaces were enlarged and rooms were added. Zettler Studioes of Germany designed and installed stained glass windows after World War I.

The church membership had ups and downs through the years. A church split led to the creation of St. Patrick Church in 1851. Holy Cross also purchased the land for what is now St. Mary Church. So much early growth led to the creation of the Diocese of Columbus in 1868.

The building has also had repairs and improvements over time. In the early 2000s, the brick exterior got improvements. Other upgrades included a new roof, new sound system, new heating and cooling system, restoration of the stained glass windows, new asphalt parking lot, a prayer garden and a new hardwood floor.

Holy Cross website, accessed Dec. 13, 2016. http://www.holycrosscatholic.com/