10 Oldest Congregations in Charleston, South Carolina

By Mark A. Leon

Charleston, South Carolina has a deep historic heritage that dates back to the original 13 colonies. Faith has played a significant role in the evolution of this territory. We wanted to take a moment to provide you with a list of the 10 oldest congregations in Charleston, South Carolina as well as some supporting articles to help further educate our readers.

1. St. Philip’s Episcopal Church – Established in 1680

2. First Baptist Church – Founded in 1682

3. Circular Congregational Church – Established in 1681

4. French Huguenot Church – Established in 1681

5. St. Michael’s Episcopal Church – Congregation established in 1751, current building from 1761

6. Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church – Established in 1816

7. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (Jewish) – Oldest Jewish congregation in North America – Established in 1749

8. St. John’s Lutheran Church – Established in 1742

9. Unitarian Church – Oldest Unitarian church in the South, completed in 1787

10. Saint Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church – First Catholic church in the Carolinas and Georgia, built in 1839

The search results provide details on the founding years and historical significance of these long-standing Charleston congregations, which span various Christian denominations as well as Judaism.

Additional Related Articles

• Charleston SC Historic Churches (2024) | Historic Houses of Worship 
• 5 of the Oldest Church Congregations in Charleston, South Carolina 
• 10 Beautiful And Historic Churches In Charleston, SC Not To Miss 
• Historic Charleston Houses of Worship | Churches, Cathedrals
• An Insider’s Guide to Exploring Downtown Charleston’s Historic Churches 

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Banner image: Front of First Baptist Church – Charleston, SC