Was it faith or fate that brought the first Catholic missionaries to the Convent in Apia? In 1836, Pope Gregory XVI entrusted the Marist Fathers with a sacred mission. They were to bring the Catholic faith to the western Pacific. These missionaries arrived in Samoa, establishing the Convent in Apia in 1845. The Convent in Apia quickly became the center of Catholic life in Samoa. The Vicar Apostolic of Central Oceanica, appointed in 1851, also held the title of Administrator of Samoa. This dual role continued until 1896. That year, Mgr. Broyer was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Samoa and Tokelau, making the Convent in Apia his residence. By 1912, Samoa had an estimated 7,500 Catholics, served by one bishop and 21 priests, several of them native Samoans. The Convent in Apia oversaw 17 churches with resident pastors. It also supported 100 chapel stations run by married catechists and schools under the Sisters of the Third Order of Mary. Despite the challenges posed by divorce and immorality, the Catholic faith continued to grow in Samoa, thanks to the tireless efforts of the missionaries and the steadfast devotion of the local community centered around the Convent in Apia.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to