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Church building in Levuka, Fiji From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 | |
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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 |
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]
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 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]