The Cathedral of St. Mary[1][2][3] (or simply Cathedral of Nukualofa and also alternately called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and locally in Tongan: Malia Tupu Imakulata) is a religious building located on Vuna Road in the town of Nukualofa,[4] capital of the Kingdom of Tonga[5] a small independent state in Oceania. It should not be confused with the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua also located in the same city.[6]
The church follows the Roman or Latin rite and serves as the seat of the diocese of Tonga (Latin: Dioecesis Tongana) which was created in 1966 by bull "Prophetarum voices" of Pope Paul VI. It is under the pastoral responsibility of Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi.
References
- 1."Malia Tupu Imakulata Cathedral, Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- 2.Fletcher, Matt; Keller, Nancy (1 January 2001). Tonga. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781740590617.
- 3.Stanley, David (1 January 2004). Moon Handbooks South Pacific. David Stanley. p. 423. ISBN 9781566914116.
- 4.South Pacific. Lonely Planet.
- 5."St. Mary at P.O. Box 1 Nukualofa, Tonga Tonga". www.thecatholicdirectory.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- 6."Tonga celebrates with their new Cardinal". 16 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2016.