Announcement of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
On Oct. 5, 2019, President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. This will be the first Latter-day Saint temple in Papua New Guinea, a country north of Australia that comprises around 600 islands.
Port Moresby currently resides within the Suva Fiji Temple district, meaning members have to travel 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers) by plane to attend a temple.
On May 3, 2020, the Pacific Area posted a six-minute video on Facebook about what the temple announcement means to Latter-day Saints in Papua New Guinea. The video shares testimonies, reactivation efforts, and what Saints are doing to prepare both active and less-active members to attend the new temple.
In the same Facebook post, Elder K. Brett Nattress of the Church's Pacific Area presidency shared how members can remain faithful despite temple closures or living hundreds of miles away from a temple: “During these uncertain times with the Coronavirus epidemic, we are facing many challenges. Some of these are beyond our control. However, there is one thing we can control. That is our relationship with and commitment to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ.
“One way to show our love for Them is to become worthy of and to hold a current temple recommend.”
Groundbreaking of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
The groundbreaking of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple was presided over by Elder Peter F. Meurs, first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area presidency, on April 22, 2023. Some at the event had walked around 60 miles (96 km.) over mountainous terrain to be in attendance.
Honored guests included His Excellency, Sir Bob Dadae, Governor General of Papua New Guinea; Tauvasa Tanuvasa Chou-Lee, Solicitor General; and Joe Zadrozny, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
In his dedicatory prayer on the site, Elder Meurs said, "We pray for the surrounding communities. May the emerging temple become a symbol of peace and blessings for them. May it plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers and cause the hearts of the children to turn to the fathers."
Timeline of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
The Port Moresby temple was announced Oct. 5, 2019, by President Russell M. Nelson. The groundbreaking and site dedication were held on April 22, 2023, and presided over by Elder Peter F. Meurs, first counselor in the Pacific Area presidency.
Architecture and Design of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
Plans for the Port Moresby temple call for a one-story building of approximately 9,550 square feet. Renderings show a white exterior with brown doors and window frames. A central spire with a square base will sit above the entrance. Flowers of various colors will adorn the base of the house of the Lord, and palm trees will be placed around the site.
The temple grounds currently have a meetinghouse that will be demolished to make room for the temple. Near the temple will be built a distribution center, a temple president’s residence, missionary apartments and patron apartments.
Groundbreaking Photos of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
