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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vanuatu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vanuatu refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Vanuatu. As of year-end 2025, there were 14,042 members in 43 congregations, making it the third largest body of LDS Church members in Melanesia behind Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Vanuatu has the most LDS Church members per capita in Melanesia.[4]
History
Tongan members moved to New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in the early 1970s. A branch was formed in Port Vila on July 15, 1973. Additional congregations emerged and the Port Vila District was created October 19, 1996. The Luganville District was organized September 27, 1998.[6] The Port Vila Vanuatu Stake was created on Sunday June 21, 2015 with 2,000 in attendance.[7][8]
Stake & Districts
As of May 2025, the following stake and districts exist in Vanuatu:[9]
| Stake/District | Organized |
|---|---|
| Luganville Vanuatu District | 27 Sep 1998 |
| Malekula Vanuatu District | 29 May 2011 |
| Port Vila Vanuatu Stake | 22 Oct 1996 |
| Tanna Vanuatu Stake | 27 Apr 2014 |
Mission
Missionaries from the Fiji Suva mission first arrived in Vanuatu in 1974. It continued to be part of the Fiji Suva Mission until 2012.[6] In July 2012, the Fiji Suva and Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Missions were divided to create the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission which encompassed the islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and The Solomon Islands. On July 1, 2026 the mission was realigned and consists of Vanuatu and New Calidonia after creation of the Solomon Islands Honiara Mission.[10]
New Caledonia
Solomon Islands
The first branch of the LDS Church in the Solomon Islands was organized February 4, 1996. Additional branches formed and the Honiara Solomon Islands District was organized on November 27, 2011. In 2025, the district included 3,232 members in ten branches[11]. Congregations in the Solomon Islands as of June 2026 include:
- Auki Branch
- Burns Creek Branch
- Fauabu Malaita Branch
- Honiara Branch
- Kola'a Ridge Branch (Honiara)
- Naha Branch (Honiara)
- Namoruka Branch (Honiara)
- Papaho Branch (Honiara)
- Point Cruz Branch (Honiara)
- Ulawa Branch
- White River Branch (Honiara).
On July 1, 2026, the Solomon Islands Honiara Mission was created.
Temples
On October 4, 2020 the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple was announced by church president Russell M. Nelson. Groundbreaking took place on April 8, 2023.[citation needed]
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Size: |
Port Vila, Vanuatu 4 October 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[12] 8 April 2023 by K. Brett Nattress[13] 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) on a 1.62-acre (0.66 ha) site | ||
