Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The large telescoping crane being used to construct the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple and ancillary buildings is a conspicuous sight on the Pacific island of Efate. It is the third largest island by land area in Vanuatu and the most populous with approximately 66,000 residents, nearly 50,000 of which live in the capital city of Port Vila. The temple is rising on the site of the former Blacksands meetinghouse.

Scaffolding has been erected and concrete blocks are being set for the structural walls of a building at the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple site. Work began on the foundations for the buildings in the complex shortly after the groundbreaking was held five months ago. The groundbreaking was delayed by one month because the island was impacted by cyclones shortly before the originally scheduled event.

Elder K. Brett Nattress, president of the Pacific Area, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple on Saturday, April 8, 2023. The president of Vanuatu, His Excellency Nikenike Vurobaravu, and his wife Rima Vurobaravu were in attendance along with the Honourable Prime Minister Altoi Ismael Kalsakau and his wife Ellene Kalsakau. After quoting a passage from the Book of Mormon that God "remember[s] those who are upon the isles of the sea," Elder Nattress said, "The Vanuatu temple is evidence of God's promise." In his site dedicatory prayer, he asked, "May the transcendent beauty of the temple become a place of peace and spiritual strength for the local residents and for all who will come and visit here."

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 8, 2023. The event had been previously scheduled for March 4, but it was postponed due to the impact of Cyclones Judy and Kevin. The 10,000-square-foot temple will be constructed on the 1.62-acre site of the Blacksands meetinghouse.

The Port Vila Vanuatu Temple groundbreaking, which was originally scheduled to take place this Saturday, has been postponed. Following the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Judy, a state of emergency was declared in Vanuatu. A second cyclone, Kevin, is following closely behind. Church leaders in Vanuatu have confirmed that all missionaries are safe and accounted for. The Church is ready to assist with emergency relief.

Elder K. Brett Nattress, president of the Pacific Area, will preside at the groundbreaking for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Attendance at the temple site is by invitation only. Additional details will be announced to local congregations as the event draws closer. The 10,000-square-foot temple will be constructed on the site of the Blacksands meetinghouse, located near the Port Vila International Airport.

The Port Vila Vanuatu Temple will be erected on the 1.62-acre site where the Blacksands meetinghouse currently stands at Blacksands Crossroads near the Port Vila International Airport. Plans call for a single-story building of approximately 10,000 square feet with a single spire. An ancillary building will also be constructed, which will include an arrival center, patron housing, and a distribution center. No groundbreaking date has been set.