French Huguenot Church

When to go

About

• Lauren Haile★★★★★a year ago

  We had an amazing experience having our wedding ceremony at the French Huguenot Church in downtown Charleston October 2024! Growing up in Charleston but living in New York for my adult life, it was important for our wedding to have a church ceremony but several churches require you to be a member attending regularly. I am so grateful for the French Huguenot Church opening their doors to us! The wedding coordination team was communicative, organized, and so friendly! They also allowed us to personalize the service with traditions that were important to us like a unity candle, communion, and family reading scriptures. We are so grateful for the role they played in our big day and cannot recommend them enough! Check out the French Huguenot Church for your wedding, you won’t regret it! 💚

• Sanjay Gupta★★★★☆a year ago

  Celebrated as Charleston’s first Gothic Revival church and a National Historic Landmark since 1973. Pink color makes it more niche i guess The congregation traces back to 1680, when 45 Huguenots arrived on the ship Richmond. By 1687, they built their first house of worship at the corner of Church and Queen Streets That original church was intentionally demolished in 1796 to act as a firebreak during a catastrophic blaze. A second, simpler building was completed in 1800 and later closed in 1823 due to dwindling membership Fact: The Huguenot Church is the only active French Calvinist congregation in America.

• gigi campbell★★★★★2 months ago

  Beautiful church with interesting history. Worth the walk from the cruise ship. Enjoyed the neighborhood

• Roads Traveled Photography★★★★★a year ago

  HUGUENOT CHURCH French Protestants known as Huguenots were among the earliest Europeans to arrive in colonial S.C. They were part of a broader Huguenot diaspora fleeing religious persecution in France. The first large contingent in Charleston landed in 1680. Hundreds more settled in S.C. after the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685. By 1687, the Charleston refugees had organized a church and likely worshipped at this site. Around 1701 the original wooden church was replaced by a brick one. By the end of the American Revolution, this was the last remaining independent Huguenot church in S.C. The c. 1701 church burned in the 1796 fire and was replaced a few years later. Members ceased regular worship in the French language in the 1820s and subsequently began holding services in English. This fourth church dates to 1845. Designed by architect Edward Brickell White, it is one of the earliest and finest examples of Gothic Revival design in Charleston.

• Katherine Lance★★★★★6 months ago

  I attended the Christmas Eve candlelight service in 2025 and it was beautiful.

• Daniel Foucachon★★★★★a year ago

  Simply a beautiful place where my Huguenot ancestors worship. It was a joy to visit recently while in Charleston, and sing Psalm 68 in French as I grew up doing in France. Amazing history, and kind parishioners who will give a tour. My only disappointment is that they state they are the only “French Huguenot Church” (technically true as the hundreds in America don’t use the word “French”), but were unaware that the traditions, songs and psalms, and liturgy are alive and well in America, and they therefore feel isolated and like a relic vs part of a long continuing stream of Huguenot heritage. The sermon was more of what I would call a “sermonette for Christianettes” (short, 15 min instead of the meaty 30-40 Biblical exegesis of both past and current true Huguenot churches), but I did somewhat expect that, so not a complaint about the place. Come for the history of this beautiful place, and the strong, beautiful, and biblical liturgy, just don’t expect a real sermon. The walls have the names many famous French-American Huguenots. The Last video included is of our own congregation here in the USA singing Psalm 124 from the Genevan Psalter. Like Psalm 68, this is one of the Psalm the Huguenots sung, and is likely found in the Charleston Huguenot Hymnal (I forgot to check this specific psalm). This is the legacy of the Huguenots that is living today - a living faith, sung robustly every Lord's Day as the Huguenots of old, and I'm including it here because so people know this church here in Charleston is not a relic of the past, but of a current and growing inheritance of the "Huguenots of old."

• Cody Bruce★★★★★2 years ago

  We attended a special French service at the French Huguenot Church. This beautiful church only conducts services in French on rare occasions, and it was so moving to hear the language of my ancestors. Even more special, I got to visit the plaque honoring my 9th Great Grandfather, Andre Rembert. Andre Rembert and wife, Anne (Bresson) Rembert left their cliffside hometown in Dauphine, France and traveled on foot through the mountains to Switzerland, through Germany and, finally by ship to Carolina where their nine children were born.

• Kelly A. Calhoun★★★★★6 years ago

  Probably my favourite point-of-history in Charleston! Which is saying a lot because the city is full of wonderful sites to see around every corner. I mean… I couldn’t pass up going to church here one Sunday while I was in the city because it’s PINK which is my favourite colour. Obv. At the time, I didn’t know much about the French Huguenots but I read up on the history of them and it is quite fascinating. This church was full with lovely people, I had a great time and it was a great service. So...this review takes a wild turn, because recently I met up with a friend who has just begun going to Hugenot meetings in Raleigh because they were grandfathered into the tradition by birth AND THEN we did some digging around and found an e-book online depicting Charleston history and found out that we are actually related from a marriage between our ancestors that took place back in the day in Charleston! Small world I guess lol. Pretty in pink. 💒

• Rachel W★★★★★3 years ago

  This is the only French Huguenot church in North America. It is gorgeous. The service was lovely, lots of scriptures and beautiful hymns. We were given a lovely tour with rich history after the service. The organ is a pump organ, but it isn’t played every Sunday. The organist plays beautifully. The triangle is a French Huguenot cross.

• Michael B★★★☆☆a year ago

  I went to the Sunday service today. The Congregants were extremely friendly and welcoming. However, during the Assistant Pastor's Sermon, he referenced quotes by Elizabeth Warren, Meryl Streep, John Stewart and Steve Colbert - all LEFT WING LUNATICS. I was wondering if I was in a San Francisco Church, waiting for him to unfurl the Rainbow Flag. Keep South Carolina Conservative!!!

Services and facilities

Events and programs

• Annual Events

  Annual

  Check the Annual Events tab for upcoming dates.

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

  Annual

  Celebrated in December.