Port Vila Vanuatu Temple Wiki

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Quick Facts

ANNOUNCED
4 October 2020

ANNOUNCED BY
President Russell M. Nelson

GROUNDBREAKING
8 April 2023

GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Elder K. Brett Nattress

DEDICATED
TBA

DEDICATED BY
TBA

DEDICATION ORDER
#

LOCATION
Blacksands
Port Vila
Vanuatu

PHONE
phone link

Additional Facts

#1

fact 1

#2

fact 2

#3

fact 3

Description

Santa Cruz is the largest city in Bolivia with a population of more than 3 million people. There are more than 200,000 Latter-day Saints in the country organized into 33 stakes and 8 districts with 10 of those stakes located in Santa Cruz. The city sits in the eastern Tropical Lowlands on the Pirai River. The Saints in Santa Cruz currently make a 10-hour drive to attend the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple.

History

Announcement

Plans to construct the Santa Cruz Bolivia Temple by President Russell M. Nelson on October 4, 2020, at the 190th Semi-Annual General Conference.[1]“Prophet Announces Six New Temples at October 2020 General Conference.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 4 Oct. 2020, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2020-general-conference-temples.

There is currently one dedicated temple in Bolivia, the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple. The Santa Cruz temple will be the second in the country.

ANNOUNCED ORDER
228

Date2020 10 04
ByRussell M. Nelson
RolePresident
ViaGeneral Conference

⮜Preceded by Tarawa Kiribati
Followed by Lindon Utah⮞

Location Announcement

On 19 May 2021 the location of the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple was announced as a 1.62-acre site located at Blacksands Crossroads on the site of the Blacksands meetinghouse in Port Vila, Vanuatu, near the Port Vila International Airport.[2]”New Temple Site Locations Announced for Two Temples to Be Built in Oceania,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 19 May 2021.

Render Released

On 19 May 2021 an official exterior rendering was released for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple.[3]”New Temple Site Locations Announced for Two Temples to Be Built in Oceania,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 19 May 2021.

Render of the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple. Copyright Intellectual Reserve.

Groundbreaking Announced

It was announced on 30 January 2023 that Elder K. Brett Nattress, General Authority Seventy and President of the Pacific Area, will preside at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple on Saturday, 4 March 2023.[4]“News for Temple in Vanuatu.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 30 Jan. 2023, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/news-for-vanuatu-temple.

Groundbreaking Rescheduled

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple has been rescheduled for Saturday,8 April 2023. The event had been previously scheduled for 4 March, but it was postponed due to the impact of Cyclones Judy and Kevin.[5]”News for Temples in Five Nations,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 27 Mar. 2023. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/news-for-temples-in-five-nations.

Groundbreaking

On April 8, 2023, Elder K. Brett Nattress — president of the Pacific Area — presided over the groundbreaking of the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple. Port Vila is an Oceanian city on the island of Efate and within the country of Vanuatu. Efate is currently in the Suva Fiji Temple district, meaning members have to travel 1,072 kilometers (479 nautical miles) east to attend the temple.

Dignitaries were in attendance at the ceremony, such as Vanuatu President His Excellency Nikenike Vurobaravu and his wife, Rima Vurobaravu, as well as the Honourable Prime Minister Altoi Ismael Kalsakau and his wife, Ellene Kalsakau.

During his remarks to the congregation, Elder Nattress talked about Joseph Smith’s First Vision and testified that Jesus Christ’s priesthood authority has been restored. In his dedicatory prayer on the site, Elder Nattress prayed for the Saints in Vanuatu: “May the transcendent beauty of the temple become a place of peace and spiritual strength for the local residents and for all who will come and visit here.”[6]“Groundbreaking Event Marks Beginning of Construction of Port Vila Vanuatu Templ.” news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org, 10 Apr. 2023, news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/groundbreaking-event-marks-beginning-of-construction-of-port-vila-vanuatu-temple.

GROUNDBREAKING ORDER
233

Date2023 04 08
ByK. Brett Nattress
RoleSeventy
Attendees#

⮜Preceded by Teton River Idaho
Followed by Ribeirão Preto Brazil⮞

Details

Location

A 1.62-acre site located at Blacksands Crossroads on the site of the Blacksands meetinghouse in Port Vila, Vanuatu, near the Port Vila International Airport has been chosen as the location for the temple. A meetinghouse and ancillary building will also be constructed. The ancillary building will house an arrival center, patron housing, and a distribution center.

Location

Blacksands
Port Vila
Vanuatu

Latitude#
Longitude#

Phone

phone

Elevation

FeetMeters
6420

Site

AcresHectares
1.620.7

Interior

Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 10,000 square feet.

Area10,000 f2 (929 m2)
Floors above grade1
Floors below Grade0
Baptistries1
Initiatories4*
Endowment Rooms1
Sealing Rooms1
*estimated

Region

TEMPLES IN OCEANIA by country

American Samoa1Pago Pago
Australia6Adelaide · Brisbane · Brisbane South · Melbourne · Perth · Sydney
Fiji1Suva
French Polynesia2Papeete · Uturoa
Guam1Yigo
Kiribati1Tarawa
New Zealand3Auckland · Hamilton · Wellington
Papua New Guinea1Port Moresby
Samoa2Apia · Savai’i
Tonga2Neiafu · Nuku’alofa
Vanuatu1Port Vila

Sources and Citations

References

References
↑1 “Prophet Announces Six New Temples at October 2020 General Conference.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 4 Oct. 2020, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2020-general-conference-temples.
↑2, ↑3 ”New Temple Site Locations Announced for Two Temples to Be Built in Oceania,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 19 May 2021.
↑4 “News for Temple in Vanuatu.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 30 Jan. 2023, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/news-for-vanuatu-temple.
↑5 ”News for Temples in Five Nations,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 27 Mar. 2023. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/news-for-temples-in-five-nations.
↑6 “Groundbreaking Event Marks Beginning of Construction of Port Vila Vanuatu Templ.” news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org, 10 Apr. 2023, news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/groundbreaking-event-marks-beginning-of-construction-of-port-vila-vanuatu-temple.