"The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant…is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house."
—Russell M. Nelson
Temple Facts
The Apia Samoa Temple was the second temple to be completely destroyed and rebuilt. (The other is the Nauvoo Temple.)
The Apia Samoa Temple was constructed as a sister building to the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple, which was built and dedicated at the same time.
The Samoa Temple—as it was originally called—was to be constructed in Pago Pago, American Samoa as a regional temple to serve the saints of Samoa, Tonga, French Polynesia (Tahiti), and Fiji.
On April 2, 1980, President Spencer W. Kimball's landmark announcement of 7 new temples suddenly tripled the number of temples planned for Polynesia. The Samoa Temple would be relocated from Pago Pago, American Samoa to Apia, Samoa, where most members lived. And additional temples would be built in Nuku'alofa, Tonga and Papeete, Tahiti.
State dignitaries participated in the open house of the Apia Samoa Temple including Malietoa Tanumafili, the head of state in Western Samoa, who performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony preceeding the open house and—though not a member of the Church—cited LDS scriptures and his own views on the importance of the temple in Samoa. Senator Pomare Galeai of the Congress of American Samoa also spoke at the open house, representing Governor Peter Tali Colman.
Under the direction of President Spencer W. Kimball, President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the Apia Samoa Temple on August 5, 1983.
On the evening of July 9, 2003—nearly 20 years after its dedication—the Apia Samoa Temple was destroyed by fire while closed for an extensive remodeling project. One week later, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced that the temple would be rebuilt.
On January 25, 2005, the same angel Moroni statue that had survived the fire that engulfed the original building was placed atop the newly rebuilt Apia Samoa Temple.
The Apia Samoa Temple was rededicated on September 4, 2005. The granite building reflects the design of the original while providing over 4,000 additional square feet, higher quality building materials, and a more efficient floor plan.
Temple History—Rededication
Tragedy struck the Apia Samoa Temple on a Wednesday evening, July 9, 2003, when fire engulfed the temple in a 45-minute blaze that granted the arriving 3 fire trucks and 100 volunteers too little time to save the building—though flames that threatened adjoining Church buildings were successfully extinguished. The next morning, overwhelmed citizens found courage in the sight of the angel Moroni standing dignified atop the remaining steel-and-concrete skeleton. The temple had been closed for an expansion and renovation project—the likely origin of the fire—and was scheduled for rededication later that year. No one was injured in the fire, and no records were destroyed, having been removed prior to renovation activity.1A week after receiving the devastating news of the fire, President Gordon B. Hinckley sent a letter to the Area Presidency, dated July 16, 2003, announcing the temple would be rebuilt. A grateful congregation gathered on the hallowed site just months later to join in the groundbreaking services, held Sunday, October 19, 2003. Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy presided at the ceremony. He expressed the deep feelings of emptiness felt by the Samoan saints who also rejoiced in the temple's reconstruction. To create a larger site for the temple and to afford a better view for passers-by, a dated meetinghouse that shared the site was razed, and a replacement chapel was built across the street.2
On January 25, 2005, the same angel Moroni statue that survived the fire reclaimed its place atop the spire of the new temple. The statue was retrieved from the remains of the original building on July 24, 2003, and kept in storage until its reinstallment.3
The original 14,560 square-foot building followed the same design used for other temples built in the South Pacific in the 1980s: "R-wall" masonry exterior finish over concrete block and a split cedar shake shingle roof.4
Announcement: 15 October 1977; plans revised April 2, 1980
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication: 19 February 1981 by Spencer W. Kimball
Public Open House: 19–30 July 1983
Dedication: 5–6 August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Public Open House: 6–27 August 2005
Rededication: 4 September 2005 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Temple Locale
Adjacent to the sprawling campus of the Church College of Western Samoa (a combined elementary, middle, and high school), the Apia Samoa Temple stands on the western outskirts of Apia in Pesega. Numerous other Church buildings occupy Pesega including mission headquarters, Church administrative buildings, and a meetinghouse. The breathtaking grounds—open to the public—feature a wide variety of healthy foliage and a striking water feature at the entrance to the building.
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Milestones
- 15 Oct 1977
- Temple Announced
- 19 Feb 1981
- Groundbreaking
- 19 Jul 1983
- Open House Start Date
- 30 Jul 1983
- Open House End Date
- 5 Aug 1983
- Dedication Date
1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, "Samoan Temple Will Be Rebuilt," 16 Jul. 2003.
2. Jerry L. King, "Samoan temple to be rebuilt on site," Church News 25 Oct. 2003: 3.
3. Sarah Jane Weaver, "Remains of Samoa temple demolished" Church News 2 Aug. 2003: 4.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, "Samoan Temple Destroyed by Fire," 10 Jul. 2003.
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