Sacred Heart Church, Levuka
The Sacred Heart Church,[1][2] also known as the Church of the Sacred Heart[3] or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, is a Roman Catholic church on the Fijian island of Ovalau, situated on Beach Street in the town of Levuka.[4][5] The church's clock tower serves as a lighthouse to guide the ships to the port through an opening in the reef. The church is part of the heritage status accorded to Levuka by its inscription as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
| Sacred Heart Church | |
|---|---|
Sacred Heart Catholic Church | |
 Sacred Heart Church, Levuka | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Leadership | Presbytery Sacred Heart Mission |
| Year consecrated | 1858 |
| Status | Functional |
| Location | |
| Location | Beach Street, Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji |
| Geographic coordinates | 17°40′56″S 178°50′3″E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Father Louyot |
| Style | Gothic Revival architecture |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 250 |
| Width | 13 by 13 feet (4.0 m × 4.0 m) |
| Height (max) | 80 feet (24 m) |
| Materials | Wood, stone |
Features
The church, presbytery, and its detached tower were built by Father Louyot in traditional Gothic Revival architecture. The church is laid out in the form of a Latin Cross with the weatherboard structure, measuring 60 by 24 feet (18.3 m × 7.3 m), able to accommodate 250 people.[6] The harmonium was added by Alexandre Fils.[7] The presbytery, destroyed by a cyclone in 1905, was a two-storey wooden structure adjacent to the church.[8]
The 80-foot (24 m) high tower, square in shape, is constructed from stone masonry and measures 13 by 13 feet (4.0 m × 4.0 m). Its belfry contains four bells.[7] The clock fitted on the tower is circular in shape and rings twice every hour at an interval of one minute; in local parlance the first ring is said to indicate the local "Fiji Time".[9] The spire of the tower is fitted with a neon light in the form of a cross, which is used by ships to navigate safely through the Levuka Passage to the port; this light works in synchronization with another green light fitted on the hill.[5][9]
History
The church was built in 1858 by the Marist Fathers as a part of the Presbytery of the Sacred Heart Mission, in Levuka, which was the first historical capital of Fiji during British colonial rule. Fr. Breheret served as the first priest of the church; the clock tower which is independent of the church was constructed to commemorate his joining the church.[4][10][11][5] It is said to be the "oldest and best developed catholic mission in Fiji".[4] The church was expanded in ensuing years.[4][11][5] The church is part of the heritage status accorded to Levuka by its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 under Criteria (cultural) (ii) and (iv).[10][11]
References
- "Sacred Heart Church, Levuka, Fiji". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
- McKinnon, Rowan (2009-01-01). South Pacific. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781741047868.
- Stanley, David (1996-01-01). South Pacific Handbook. David Stanley. ISBN 9781566910408.
- "Nomination file / 21 mb - UNESCO: World Heritage" (pdf). UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- Stanley 1996, p. 198.
- Fiji Blue Book 1899, p. 148.
- Britton 1870, p. 68.
- "A Step Back into Time". St John the Baptist Church. 11 September 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- Starnes & Luckham 2009, p. 171.
- Eagles, Jim (30 April 2011). "Fiji: Town's journey to hell and back". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- "Levuka Historical Port Town". UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
Bibliography
- Britton, Henry (1870). Fiji in 1870: Being the Letters of "The Argus" Special Correspondent, with a Complete Map and Gazetteer of the Fijian Archipelago (Public domain ed.). Samuel Mullen.
- Fiji Blue Book (1899). Fiji Blue Book for the Year 1899 (Public domain ed.). Government Printer, South Africa.
- Stanley, David (1 January 1996). Fiji Islands Handbook. David Stanley. p. 198. ISBN 978-1-56691-038-5.
- Starnes, Dean; Luckham, Nana (2009). Lonely Planet Fiji. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74104-793-6.