Charleston, South Carolina features cobblestone streets and Fort Sumter, where the first shots that began the Civil War were fired.
Featuring antebellum architecture and horse-drawn carriages that people can use today, the city offers a lot of charm.
If you’re visiting Charleston for the first time, then you may hear some of its locals and tour guides call it the Holy City.
Since the Vatican and other major places of worship aren’t located in Charleston, you may wonder why the city has that nickname.
Here’s what you need to know about Charleston and why it’s called the Holy City.
Why Is Charleston Called The Holy City?
Charleston’s nickname is the Holy City because of the number of churches and other places of worship that it has.
Some also argue that because there are so many different places of worship, the city is also tolerant of all different religions.
That isn’t always the case in some cities.
For example, if a city has a strong following of one particular religion, then its residents may not appreciate another faith building a place of worship close to them.
In Charleston, every religion is welcome as long as it doesn’t harm the general public.
You’ll find Protestant churches, Catholic cathedrals, Jewish synagogues, and churches for those who consider themselves Baptist.
Since there’s such a large number of churches and other places of worship within the city, Charleston has earned the nickname of the Holy City.
What Major Places Of Worship Does Charleston Have?
Since Charleston is the Holy City, you may wonder just what churches and other places of worship are located there.
There are tons of different places of worship in Charleston, but here are some of the biggest or most popular ones.
1. St. Michael’s Church
St. Michael’s Church is famous in Charleston for being the oldest church in the city.
It was built in 1750 and has had a strong following ever since.
It’s situated on a block called the Four Corners of Law.
That’s because there are state and federal businesses on the other corners of the street.
Those buildings include:
- The US Post Office
- The Federal Courthouse
- The Charleston County Courthouse
- The Charleston City Hall
- St. Michael’s
St. Michael’s is an Anglican congregation in the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
They emphasize staying true to God’s word and focusing on serving their community.
2. Circular Congregation Church
While St. Michael’s may be a bit more traditional, the Circular Congregation Church considers itself a progressive church.
It’s also one of the oldest organized religious sects in South Carolina.
It started in 1681, and although its original building was eventually renovated, it’s on par with St. Michael’s for being one of the oldest churches in the city.
One of the most eye-catching things about the church is its architecture.
It uses a mix of Greek Revival and Romanesque architecture which makes it one of the most visually striking buildings in the city.
Those who founded the church were also a mix of people.
Its earliest leaders and members consisted of English Congregationalists, Scottish Presbyterians, and French Huguenots.
Despite their differences, they made an inclusive church that has continued its focus on inclusivity to this day.
In fact, the church took a strong stance on the integration of churches in the 1960s.
At that time, Black Americans had to worship in separate churches from White Americans or sit in the back of churches that allowed them inside.
The Circular Congregation campaigned for the integration of churches.
They then promoted an open and fair service to its LGBTQ+ members.
They welcomed them into their church whereas many others shunned them.
They’ve also focused on supporting green services to become more sustainable to combat climate change.
By remaining inclusive to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, the Circular Congregation has cemented itself as a progressive Christian church.
3. Cathedral of St. Luke And St. Paul
The Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul is a part of the Diocese of South Carolina.
Its ministry is a mix of Catholic, Evangelical, and Reformed roots.
One of the most striking aspects of the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul is the architecture of its building.
It uses Greek Revival architecture with a focus on minimalism in its interior.
While traditional Catholic cathedrals tend to be ornate, the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul is quite sparse in its ornamentation.
4. Emanuel African Methodist Church
The Emanuel African Methodist church follows the American Methodist Episcopal Zion or AME.
The AME Zion is the oldest black congregation in the United States.
The creation of the Emanuel African Methodist Church came out of necessity.
It got its start sometime around 1815 to 1818.
At that point, there was segregation in churches.
Many Black Americans had to either sit in the back of the church while the White Americans sat in the front or start their own church.
Black Americans weren’t able to lead a segregated church either.
To practice their religion, they needed to get the funding and following to start services of their own.
The Emanuel African Methodist Church has a lot of history behind it.
First, it’s the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church in the southern part of the United States.
Second, it was the first church led by independent Black Americans.
Its earliest attempt at practicing religion didn’t go well.
White Christians raided the church and, with the help of the police, arrested many of the members.
The church would experience two more raids in its history.
In 1822, the raiding escalated to murder.
A group of white men burned the church down and dragged out 35 black men.
They executed them on the spot for suspicion of taking part in a slave revolt.
They rebuilt the church after the Civil War.
In 1891, they built the church that’s still used to this day.
Several famous Black Americans have walked its floors before.
Some of those include Booker T. Washington, Reverend Wyatt T. Walker, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Emanuel African Methodist Church is a symbol of the cost it took to enjoy religious tolerance in South Carolina today.
5. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
Charleston also has its share of synagogues.
One of the most famous is Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim.
It also started early in Charleston’s history.
The group formed in 1749, but the building they currently use isn’t the original.
They built the current synagogue in 1840.
As with many of the other buildings built during that time, it features Greek Revival architecture and design.
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim has the credit for being one of the oldest Jewish congregations in the United States.
It even claims to be the birthplace of American Reform Judaism.
The congregation considers itself inclusive with a focus on growing and evolving “Jewishly.”
6. Brith Sholom Beth Israel
If KKBE has the distinction of being the oldest Reform Jewish synagogue, then Brith Sholom Beth Israel has the distinction of being the oldest orthodox synagogue in America.
Brith Sholom Beth Israel got its start in 1854.
It’s the oldest orthodox synagogue in the south as well as in the United States.
It offers services every single day of the year.
Its focus is on traditional Jewish law.
The synagogue even claims to have members who are descendants of those who formed the congregation long ago.
A group of Jewish immigrants from Prussia and Poland formed the synagogue after arriving in Charleston.
It also played an integral role during the Civil War.
As the war broke out, the synagogue was one of three that remained open.
Even as Union forces attacked the city and shelled the building, it continued to provide kosher meat and Jewish services for all those who came.
It continues to offer orthodox Jewish teachings to this day.
7. Saint Mary Of The Annunciation Roman Catholic Church
Catholics have also found a home in Charleston.
They built the Saint Mary of the Annunciation Roman Catholic Church in Charleston in 1798.
However, the congregation would move through two more churches before settling on their current church.
They lost their second church to a massive fire that waged through Charleston in 1838.
The church claims to be the first Catholic institution in both North and South Carolina as well as Georgia.
Like many of the other buildings, the church uses Greek Revival architecture and design.
You’ll find many of the standard Catholic services at the church.
You can enjoy mass and confessionals.
It also has several youth programs and events that focus on serving one’s community.
8. French Protestant Huguenot Church
Besides having cathedrals for Catholicism and synagogues for Judaism, Charleston also has the only French Protestant Huguenot Church in the United States that’s still independent.
Finding this building in Charleston is easy since it’s painted pink.
It also features Greek Revival architecture in its design.
However, it’s the pink color that makes it very attractive to the eye.
While other Huguenot churches might require their members to have Huguenot ancestry, this particular one doesn’t.
As long as you’re willing to share their faith, they’re ready to welcome you.
The French Protestant Huguenot Church can trace its roots back to the early development of the French Protestant movement.
It laid the groundwork for the future English Protestant movement that would follow it.
However, the French Huguenots faced violent opposition from French Catholics.
Many of them had to emigrate out of France to be able to worship how they wanted.
That led a group to Charleston.
Once the Protestants arrived, they built a church in 1687.
This church would eventually sustain fire damage during a city-wide fire that occurred in 1796.
Officials destroyed it in an attempt to stop the spread of fire.
The Huguenots built a second church in 1800.
However, they’d destroy that one voluntarily to build their current church in 1844.
The church is independent in that it isn’t part of any greater church or sect.
This allows it to dictate the kind of teachings that it wants to teach.
While almost all of its sermons are in English, they do perform at least one sermon in French every year.
9. St. Johannes Lutheran Church
Lutherans can find a home in Charleston, too.
The St. Johannes Lutheran Church is a congregation founded by a group of German immigrants.
In fact, the sermons were in German until as late as 1910 when they started giving them in English.
Due to a massive fire that occurred in the city in 1838, the current lot that now houses the Lutheran church became available.
The original owner was looking to sell the lot after the fire raged through and destroyed the buildings around it.
A group of German businessmen bought the lot and had the current St. Johannes Lutheran Church built on it.
It officially opened its doors to the public in 1842.
Besides being a beautiful building in its own right, it also had 22k gold applied to the lectern, altars, and pulpit inside of the church.
It’s now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
What Are Charleston’s Other Nicknames?
While many know Charleston as the Holy City, that isn’t the only nickname that the city has.
Here are some nicknames that Charleston goes by.
1. Chucktown
Charleston wasn’t always called Charleston.
Originally, it was Charles Towne.
The name came from King Charles II.
He had given land to some friends of his so they could build a city of their own.
To honor him, they named the city after him.
Since “Chuck” is a nickname for Charles, some started calling Charles Towne “Chucktown” instead.
Even after the name transitioned to Charleston, “Chucktown” or “Chuck” remains in use today.
2. Silicon Harbor
You may have heard of Silicon Valley, but you probably haven’t heard of Silicon Harbor.
This is another nickname that Charleston often goes by.
Silicon Harbor refers to the large number of tech start-ups that are in the city.
Instead of being in a valley, these tech start-ups get to enjoy the coastal life that Charleston offers.
If you know where the tech start-ups congregate in Charleston, then you’ve probably heard the nickname Silicon Harbor before.
3. The Big Sweetgrass Basket
If you’re not from the south, you may not be entirely sure what a sweetgrass basket is.
Making sweetgrass baskets has been a southern tradition since the 17th century.
Southerners handcraft each basket and either sell them or give them to friends.
Charleston is sometimes called the Big Sweetgrass Basket for the number of sweetgrass baskets you can find in the city.
4. Chas
Like Chucktown, Chas comes from the original name of Charles Towne.
Chas is another nickname or shortened variant of Charles.
Some might call Charleston “Chas Town” instead.
Others will simply call it Chas.
If you want to use the shortest nickname for Charleston, then Chas will serve your purposes.
5. CHS
Finally, some people also refer to Charleston by its airport code.
The airport code is CHS.
If you’re around people who travel a lot, you might hear them refer to the city as CHS.
When Was Charleston Founded?
Charleston wasn’t always the Holy City.
During its first few years, it was simply known as Charles Town.
In 1670, English settlers arrived in the Carolinas and established a settlement that they called Charles Town.
King Charles II was responsible for sending them there, and he believed it was a gift to his eight friends.
The friends started colonization efforts in the Carolinas by first creating Charles Town.
However, they weren’t pleased with the location of the settlement.
Ten years later, in 1680, they moved Charles Towne to its current location on the peninsula.
With its location on the coast, it became a major center of trade for commodities like indigo and rice.
It wasn’t until 1783, however, that it officially became incorporated with its new name of Charleston.
Charleston became the provincial seat of South Carolina and was where the territory became an official state of the United States.
For a time, Charleston was also the capital of South Carolina.
After a while, the state government would choose to move the capital to Colombia instead.
While other big port cities started to emerge, Charleston became a leading winter port.
It oversaw massive trade in cotton and rice that helped keep the city wealthy.
Throughout its development, it would attract immigrants looking for a new opportunity or escaping religious persecution.
Charleston would welcome them and would soon have a skyline filled with various churches, synagogues, and places of worship.
Its nickname of “Holy City” would soon follow.
Conclusion
Charleston gets its nickname of “The Holy City” from the several places of worship that exist within the city.
It also has a history of religious tolerance, although some churches saw more tolerance than others.
Besides “The Holy City,” Charleston also has many other nicknames.
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