Saint-Joseph Church, Ouvéa
Église de Saint-Joseph
The Catholic church in the Saint-Joseph tribal village at the northern tip of Ouvéa. It was one of the starting points of Marist mission work in the 19th century, and you can hear tribal hymns on Sundays.
Saint-Joseph (also known as Heo) lies at the northern tip of Ouvéa. In the mid-19th century, Marist missionaries landed here and established one of the Catholic mission stations on the island. This is part of the reason the island today is largely Catholic in the south and Protestant in the north. The white church at the village center is modest in size, surrounded by coconut palms and traditional thatched houses. During Sunday Mass, you can hear polyphonic hymns sung in the local language. The village's north coast is close to the Anawa Blue Hole and the small islands of the north, so you can visit them on the way. Greet the villagers before you visit. Mass times are subject to change, so check locally.
Opening hours
Daytime; Sunday Mass
Nearby sights
- Trou Bleu d'Anawa
- Memorial of the Nineteen, Wadrilla
- Fayaoué Beach
- Lékiny Cliffs
- Pont de Mouli
- Ouvéa
- Pléiades du Sud
- Beautemps-Beaupré Atoll