In the News
Follow Us
In early 2000, political unrest in Fiji threatened the cancellation of the Suva Fiji Temple’s dedication. However, Paul Whippy, president of the Suva Fiji Stake, told the Church News that the temple organizers were confident that the event would go well, “no matter what was happening in the community.”
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Suva Fiji Temple on June 18, 2000. Due to the country’s unrest, the dedication included only one session with limited attendance from only Church leaders, four local stake presidencies and their wives, members of the temple presidency and their wives, and a 20-person choir of local Saints.
Also in attendance with President Hinckley were Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Quentin L. Cook, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Pacific Islands Area.
After the dedication, President Hinckley said that at the ceremony, “there was a great outpouring of the Spirit, matched by the feeling of good fellowship among those in attendance.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We are grateful for this day of dedication, that Thou hast favored us with a temple in this island nation. No longer will we have to travel far across the seas to do that work which Thou hast established as sacred and necessary for Thy Saints in this latter-day dispensation. Thou hast heard our prayers and hearkened to our entreaties that this blessing might come to us. How beautiful is Thy house, O Lord. How wonderful is the great plan of happiness for Thy children.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Suva Fiji Temple here.
Fiji was hit by a Category 5 cyclone with winds up to 175 miles per hour, the worst storm ever recorded in its history, the day before the Suva Fiji Temple was rededicated. When deciding whether to postpone the rededication, President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, said that in spite of the foreboding weather, he “got the feeling, ‘Go forward. Don’t be afraid.’”
Elder Adolf J. Johansson, an Area Seventy, also felt an impression that everything would work out OK. He said, “You cannot stop the work of the Lord. You cannot. ... That is what is giving the people of Fiji courage.”
Curfews from the government forced President Eyring and others into the mission home near the temple to avoid the dangerous conditions caused by the cyclone on the day of the rededication. It was from there, on Feb. 21, 2016, that President Eyring offered the rededicatory prayer of the Suva Fiji Temple, in which he prayed for the Fijian Saints.
President Eyring was accompanied by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Kent F. Richards, executive director of the Temple Department. Members of the Pacific Area Presidency were also at the event: Elder Kevin W. Pearson, Elder O. Vincent Haleck and Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, all General Authority Seventies.
A month and a half later, Elder Cook spoke in April 2016 general conference about the rededication’s miracle: “It was a special, sacred occasion. President Eyring’s courage and strong spiritual impressions allowed the rededication to proceed in the face of the worst cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. Physical and spiritual protections were provided to youth, missionaries and members. The hand of the Lord was clearly evident. The Suva Fiji Temple rededication was a refuge from the storm.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May all who come here be protected as they travel. May they find safety and protection in their covenants. Bless them that they may feel Thy loving arms and those of the Savior in whatever challenges may come into their lives and the lives of their children. Bless them with the peace Thy Son has promised His faithful disciples.”
Read the rededication prayer of the Suva Fiji Temple here.
A temple for Fiji was initially announced by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley in April 1998 general conference on April 5, 1998. However, the site in Suva wasn’t announced until May 7, 1998, when the First Presidency — President Hinckley and his two counselors, Presidents Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust — notified Latter-day Saint leaders in Fiji of the site location.
Ground was broken for the Suva Fiji Temple on May 8, 1999. Elder Earl M. Monson, second counselor in the Pacific Islands Area presidency, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony. More than 500 Church members and local dignitaries attended the event.
The public was invited to tour the completed house of the Lord from June 7-12, 2000. The open house attracted 16,423 people to visit the temple.
The Suva Fiji Temple was dedicated by President Hinckley on June 18, 2000. Due to political unrest in the country, the Suva temple was dedicated in only one session held for local Church presidency members and their wives in the celestial room of the temple.
The temple was closed from Oct. 13, 2014, through November 2015 for renovations. The entire structure was rebuilt, except for a statue of the angel Moroni and the concrete and metal framing, and the air conditioning system was improved.
The public was allowed to tour the renovated house of the Lord from Jan. 25 through Feb. 6, 2016. More than 22,000 visitors attended the temple in this time, including Fiji Prime Minister J.V. Bainimarama.
A cultural celebration in honor of the temple was held Feb. 20, 2016, with 1,300 youth performing dance numbers and singing. Dangerous conditions caused by a cyclone forced the performance to end earlier than originally anticipated.
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, rededicated the Suva Fiji Temple in three sessions on Feb. 21, 2016. He offered the dedicatory prayer in the nearby mission home, due to a curfew enacted across Fiji in response to damage and dangerous conditions brought on by a recent cyclone.
A temple for Suva, Fiji, was announced to local leaders in Fiji in May 1998. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Suva Fiji Temple was held May 8, 1999. Visitors toured the completed temple from June 7-12, 2000, before its dedication on June 18, 2000.
The house of the Lord was closed from Oct. 13, 2014, through November 2015 for renovations. Another open house was held for the temple from Jan. 25 through Feb. 6, 2016, after renovations were complete.
On Feb. 20, 2016, a cultural celebration was organized and performed by Latter-day Saints in Fiji. The Suva Fiji Temple was rededicated on Feb. 21, 2016.
The 12,755-square-foot Suva Fiji Temple was built on a site with views of the Pacific Ocean from three sides of the property, which is located at one of the highest points in Suva. Initially, the temple was built with an area of approximately 10,700 square feet, but it was enlarged during the later renovations.
The renovated temple includes colors and design motifs inspired by the flowers, beaches and jungles of Fiji. Decorations inside the edifice include original art glass and a hand-painted mural depicting the landscape and flora of the islands.
7 May 1998
18 June 2000
21 February 2016
View schedule and book online
(679) 338-8949
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Fiji.
The site for the temple formerly belonged to the Australian government.
Prior to the groundbreaking ceremony, Suva had seen almost an entire week of heavy rain. During the ceremony, however, only sprinkles of rain fell.
While preparing the temple site for construction, workers discovered World War II-era bunkers underground.
Sister Lolene Adams, a Church Educational System missionary who helped organize the special-guest tour program, told the Church News that a high-ranking military official toured the temple during the open house. The leader, Adams said, “had studied eternal life for many years and had never understood it, but when he looked in the mirrors [in the celestial room], it all came clear to him, and he was excited.”
Due to political unrest in the country, the Suva temple was dedicated in only one session with presidencies of the four stakes in Fiji and their wives attending.
It was the last of four temples dedicated by President Hinckley in just eight days — from June 11 to June 18, 2000. The other three were the Fukuoka Japan, Adelaide Australia and Melbourne Australia temples.
This temple was the sixth house of the Lord dedicated in June 2000.
After being dedicated, this temple served Church members in Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu.
It is located around half a mile from the South Pacific Ocean.
Just hours before the rededication ceremony for the Suva Fiji Temple, the country was hit by the worst storm in its history.
Due to curfews enacted across the country in the wake of the cyclone, President Henry B. Eyring offered the dedicatory prayer over the Suva Fiji Temple from the nearby mission home.
Because members from the Suva Fiji Temple district could not attend the rededication, President Eyring approved a rebroadcast of the dedicatory services to be shown Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, a week after the ceremony.
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Fiji.
The site for the temple formerly belonged to the Australian government.
Prior to the groundbreaking ceremony, Suva had seen almost an entire week of heavy rain. During the ceremony, however, only sprinkles of rain fell.
While preparing the temple site for construction, workers discovered World War II-era bunkers underground.
Sister Lolene Adams, a Church Educational System missionary who helped organize the special-guest tour program, told the Church News that a high-ranking military official toured the temple during the open house. The leader, Adams said, “had studied eternal life for many years and had never understood it, but when he looked in the mirrors [in the celestial room], it all came clear to him, and he was excited.”
Due to political unrest in the country, the Suva temple was dedicated in only one session with presidencies of the four stakes in Fiji and their wives attending.
It was the last of four temples dedicated by President Hinckley in just eight days — from June 11 to June 18, 2000. The other three were the Fukuoka Japan, Adelaide Australia and Melbourne Australia temples.
This temple was the sixth house of the Lord dedicated in June 2000.
After being dedicated, this temple served Church members in Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu.
It is located around half a mile from the South Pacific Ocean.
Just hours before the rededication ceremony for the Suva Fiji Temple, the country was hit by the worst storm in its history.
Due to curfews enacted across the country in the wake of the cyclone, President Henry B. Eyring offered the dedicatory prayer over the Suva Fiji Temple from the nearby mission home.
Because members from the Suva Fiji Temple district could not attend the rededication, President Eyring approved a rebroadcast of the dedicatory services to be shown Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, a week after the ceremony.
