Sacred Heart Church, Levuka
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 | |
|---|---|
Sacred Heart Catholic Church | |
Sacred Heart Church, Levuka | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Leadership | Presbytery Sacred Heart Mission |
| 1858 | |
| Status | Functional |
| Location | |
| Location | Beach Street, Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji |
 Interactive map of Sacred Heart Church | |
| Coordinates | 17°40′56″S 178°50′3″E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | 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. 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]