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Sacred Heart Church, Levuka

Coordinates: 17°40′56″S 178°50′3″E / 17.68222°S 178.83417°E / -17.68222; 178.83417
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Sacred Heart Church
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Sacred Heart Church, Levuka
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
LeadershipPresbytery Sacred Heart Mission
Year consecrated1858
StatusFunctional
Location
LocationBeach Street, Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji
Geographic coordinates17°40′56″S 178°50′3″E / 17.68222°S 178.83417°E / -17.68222; 178.83417
Architecture
Architect(s)Father Louyot
StyleGothic Revival architecture
Specifications
Capacity250
Width13 by 13 feet (4.0 m × 4.0 m)
Height (max)80 feet (24 m)
MaterialsWood, stone

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.

Features

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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]

Front view of the tower and its spire in the form of a cross.

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

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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. Jean-Baptiste Bréhéret [fr] 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

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  1. ^ "Sacred Heart Church, Levuka, Fiji". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  2. ^ McKinnon, Rowan (2009-01-01). South Pacific. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781741047868.
  3. ^ Stanley, David (1996-01-01). South Pacific Handbook. David Stanley. ISBN 9781566910408.
  4. ^ a b c d "Nomination file / 21 mb - UNESCO: World Heritage" (pdf). UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Stanley 1996, p. 198.
  6. ^ Fiji Blue Book 1899, p. 148.
  7. ^ a b Britton 1870, p. 68.
  8. ^ "A Step Back into Time". St John the Baptist Church. 11 September 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  9. ^ a b Starnes & Luckham 2009, p. 171.
  10. ^ a b Eagles, Jim (30 April 2011). "Fiji: Town's journey to hell and back". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Levuka Historical Port Town". UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 18 April 2015.

Bibliography

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