Charleston Reporter

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette recently joined the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston at a special Mass to recognize the service of Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone.

Evette presented the Order of the Palmetto to Guglielmone in recognition of his commitment to the residents of South Carolina. 

Created in 1971 by then Gov. John West, the Order of the Palmetto is the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina. It is reserved for persons who make contributions of statewide significance and to recognize lifetime achievement and service.

 "Yesterday, I had the incredible experience of joining @DioceseChas for a special Mass celebrating its 200th anniversary in S.C. It was an honor to greet @CardinalDolan who made a special trip down from New York for this significant milestone," Evette wrote in a tweeted July 12. "I then was able to present the Order of The Palmetto to Bishop Guglielmone — recognizing his dedication to both the Catholic Church and the people of South Carolina."

Bishop Guglielmone was ordained and installed as the 13th Bishop of Charleston on March 25, 2009, in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, was named a Knight of Grace of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George in 1993, and was named a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Charleston in 1820, taking the territory of the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The Diocese of Charleston is the seventh oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the U.S.