Nouméa New Caledonia Temple
During his general conference message on April 6, 2025, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct a temple in Nouméa, New Caledonia. The Nouméa New Caledonia Temple is one of fifteen newly announced temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[1]
This will be the first temple in New Caledonia, a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific Islands that are home to more than 2,500 Latter-day Saints. Nouméa, the country’s capital, has a population of about 100,000.
The first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints moved to New Caledonia from Tahiti. The first stake was organized in 2012.
- New Caledonia, a collectivity of overseas France, is an archipelago located roughly 750 miles east of Australia and about 400 miles south of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. The Church in Nouméa, the capital of the South Province, is well established, said President Ben Ball of the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission, while branches in the northern cities are supported by a handful of “very faithful Saints and our full-time missionaries.”
- President Jean-Olivier Smatti, president of the Nouméa New Caledonia Stake, noted that it is difficult and expensive for members there to go to the temple. “Some members can only go to the temple once or twice in their lives.”
- The Nouméa stake, however, retains a high percentage of active Latter-day Saints who hold a current temple recommend, despite the nearest temple being a costly international plane ride away.
- “The Nouméa stake members’ sacrifices have been accepted by the Lord with the coming of this new temple,” said President Ball. “This will change the lives of the rising generation and their posterity.”[2]
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The Nouméa New Caledonia Temple is currently in the planning stages. The specific location will be announced later.
