Holy Cross Catholic Church (formerly German Parish)

Holy Cross parish in Federal Hill was the first and oldest faith community established in the south Baltimore area. The parish was founded in 1858 as a mission of St. Alphonsus Church for the 1,000 Catholics of German descent who lived in South Baltimore. Mass was first held in a room on the second floor of the St. Alphonsus School until a church building, begun in 1858, could be built. The Archdiocese listed the church as a German parish until 1959.