Difference between revisions of "Suva Fiji Temple"
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The site chosen for the temple was 4.7 acres and is considered one of the most beautiful temple sites. The Pacific Ocean can be seen from three sides of the property on one of the tallest hills in the area, and is located just a few minutes away from downtown Suva. The exterior of the temple is finished with Snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. | The site chosen for the temple was 4.7 acres and is considered one of the most beautiful temple sites. The Pacific Ocean can be seen from three sides of the property on one of the tallest hills in the area, and is located just a few minutes away from downtown Suva. The exterior of the temple is finished with Snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. | ||
| − | The temple was open for public tours June 7th through the 12th, 2000. Just before the open house, starting on May 19th, political unrest occurred in Fiji. A group of armed rebels held a group of government leaders hostage in Suva for weeks. Those held hostage included the Prime Minister of Fiji at the time, Mahendra Chaudhry. The situation was so intense that the Church decided to send all of the missionaries in the area to the other side of the island to avoid any dangerous situations. Despite these problems and little media attention, over 16,000 people toured the temple including 300 community leaders. Those who toured the temple were able to see the two [[Ordinances|ordinance rooms]], two [[Mormonism and Marriage|sealing rooms]], Celestial room, and [[Baptism for the Dead|baptistery]]. They were also able to learn more about [[What do Mormons believe|Mormon beliefs]] associated with the temple. | + | The temple was open for public tours June 7th through the 12th, 2000. Just before the open house, starting on May 19th, political unrest occurred in Fiji. A group of armed rebels held a group of government leaders hostage in Suva for weeks. Those held hostage included the Prime Minister of Fiji at the time, Mahendra Chaudhry. The situation was so intense that the Church decided to send all of the missionaries in the area to the other side of the island to avoid any dangerous situations. Despite these problems and little media attention, over 16,000 people toured the temple including 300 community leaders. Those who toured the temple were able to see the two [[Ordinances|ordinance rooms]], two [[Mormonism and Marriage|sealing rooms]], [[Celestial Kingdom|Celestial room]], and [[Baptism for the Dead|baptistery]]. They were also able to learn more about [[What do Mormons believe|Mormon beliefs]] associated with the temple. |
| − | The Suva Fiji Temple was dedicated on June | + | The Suva Fiji Temple was dedicated on 18 June 2000 by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 to 2008. Because of the political unrest that had been going on since before the open house, it was decided that a small dedication service would be best and the normal four dedicatory services were abandoned. Sixty people attended the dedication which was held in the Celestial room of the temple. |
==Open House, Cultural Celebration, and Re-dedication== | ==Open House, Cultural Celebration, and Re-dedication== | ||
Revision as of 20:08, 23 January 2016
On 7 May 1998 the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that plans had been made to build a temple in Suva, Fiji. The temple is the 91st operating temple of the Church, and serves more than 35,000 Latter-day Saints in Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.
Contents
Early Missionary Work in Fiji
The first Mormon missionaries arrived in Fiji in 1893. It was hard work for missionaries to travel among the 100 inhabited islands of Fiji to teach the people. The work was slow, and it was not until 1954 that the first branch was organized. After 1954 the work began to quicken, and by 1993 there were more than 6,600 members in six wards and fifteen branches.
Groundbreaking Ceremony, Open House, and Dedication
A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held for the Suva Fiji Temple on 8 May 1999. Earl M. Monson, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, presided at the ceremony and dedication.
The site chosen for the temple was 4.7 acres and is considered one of the most beautiful temple sites. The Pacific Ocean can be seen from three sides of the property on one of the tallest hills in the area, and is located just a few minutes away from downtown Suva. The exterior of the temple is finished with Snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy and the grounds are beautifully landscaped.
The temple was open for public tours June 7th through the 12th, 2000. Just before the open house, starting on May 19th, political unrest occurred in Fiji. A group of armed rebels held a group of government leaders hostage in Suva for weeks. Those held hostage included the Prime Minister of Fiji at the time, Mahendra Chaudhry. The situation was so intense that the Church decided to send all of the missionaries in the area to the other side of the island to avoid any dangerous situations. Despite these problems and little media attention, over 16,000 people toured the temple including 300 community leaders. Those who toured the temple were able to see the two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, Celestial room, and baptistery. They were also able to learn more about Mormon beliefs associated with the temple.
The Suva Fiji Temple was dedicated on 18 June 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 to 2008. Because of the political unrest that had been going on since before the open house, it was decided that a small dedication service would be best and the normal four dedicatory services were abandoned. Sixty people attended the dedication which was held in the Celestial room of the temple.
Open House, Cultural Celebration, and Re-dedication
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that the re-dedication of the Suva Fiji Temple will be held on 21 February 2016.
The open house which is free to the general public will commence on Monday, 25 January, and will go through Saturday, 6 February 2016. There will not be an open house on Sunday, 31 January.
Prior to the re-dedication of the temple, a cultural celebration will be held on Saturday, 20 February 2016.
On 21 February 2016, the Suva Fiji Temple re-dedicatory sessions will be held at 9:00am, 12:00pm, and 3:00pm. The services will be broadcast to meetinghouses in the Suva Fiji Temple district, and the regular three-hour block of meetings will be cancelled to allow members to participate in the services. Once the temple has been re-dedicated it will serve members in Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
See also
External links
- Official LDS Suva Fiji Temple page
- Suva Fiji Temple page
- Mormon Temple Worship - BBC Religion & Ethics
- Temples and Mormon Temples - Answers.com
- Early Christianity and Mormonism: The LDS Temple Endowment: An Introduction
- Mormon Missionary Work - Lightplanet
- Joseph Smith - American Prophet
- A video about the Suva Fiji Temple
