Église catholique russe de la Trinité, Russian Catholic church in the 16th arrondissement, Paris, France

The Russian Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity occupies the basement of a 1960s residential building at 39 rue François-Gérard in Paris's 16th arrondissement. A central light well above the nave brings daylight into the underground space. The iconostasis, made by Egon Sendler in the 1980s, incorporates several old icons.

Russian Catholic emigrants gathered in Paris after 1917 around Father Vladimir Abrikossov, and in 1927 the Archbishop of Paris recognised the community as a "Russian Mission". In 1934 it moved into the former studio of painter François Gérard at 39 rue François-Gérard, converted into a Byzantine chapel. A property development in 1960 demolished the studio and installed the church in the basement of the new apartment block; the parish had been erected in 1954.

The iconostasis was made by Egon Sendler in the 1980s and incorporates several old icons. The iconostasis design and the church's icons were painted by Nikolai Istselenov, while the royal doors, candlesticks and lamps were made to his drawings by Zoya Kamlyukhina. The liturgy is served in Church Slavonic, in the Byzantine rite.

The church is in the basement of a 1960s apartment block at 39 rue François-Gérard, in the 16th arrondissement. Look for the stairwell leading down to the dark wooden door; the icon panel above it marks the entrance. The nave is lit by a light well at its centre, so the space is dimmer than a street-level church.

The church occupies the basement of a 1960s apartment block built on the site of the former studio of painter François Gérard, razed in 1960. The iconostasis was made by Egon Sendler in the 1980s and incorporates several old icons. The iconostasis design and icons were painted by Nikolai Istselenov, while Zoia Kamliukhina made the royal doors, candlesticks and lamps to his drawings.