Prayer for salvation: 140-year-old downtown Winnipeg church on brink of collapse

Parishioners at Holy Trinity Anglican Church are praying for a monetary miracle, as their historic place of worship could collapse at any moment.

Parishioners at Holy Trinity Anglican Church are praying for a monetary miracle, as their historic place of worship could collapse at any moment.

The 140-year-old church is located at 256 Smith St., and stands proudly in the heart of downtown Winnipeg. It’s now-crumbling foundation is believed to have been erected around 1883.

While Holy Trinity has outlasted other establishments built from the same model, the risk of reducing itself to rubble remains high.

“It’s kind of a miracle that it hasn't fallen down yet, but it will,” said Sandra Bender, Holy Trinity’s people’s warden and music ministry coordinator.

Bender said it can take anywhere from six months to three years for the church to collapse.

In 1990, Holy Trinity was designated as a national historic site. Its gothic-style architecture features stained glass windows, original woodwork and a pipe organ that echoes through the sanctuary.

Bender said Holy Trinity’s congregation hopes demolition isn’t in the cards for the church.