Sacred Heart Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in South Tarawa, Kiribati.
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a church building in South Tarawa with white walls and a tower topped by a cross. It stands in the heart of the Teinainano Urban Council and serves as the central place for religious gatherings in the region.
The diocese was created in 1966 as the Diocese of Tarawa, with the cathedral as its seat; from 1978 to 1982 it was called the Diocese of Tarawa, Nauru and Funafuti, then became the Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru. Koru Tito was bishop until his death in August 2022.
The cathedral is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The diocesan headquarters, a group of buildings, adjoins it to the east; there, in 2016, the first nun from Kiribati took her vows. Bishop Koru Tito led the diocese until his death in August 2022.
The building sits in the Teaoraereke district and is easy to reach via the main road of South Tarawa. Services are held in English and Gilbertese, so visitors can follow along with the proceedings.
The building serves not only as the bishop's seat for Tarawa but also holds this role for Nauru, another nation on the opposite side of the Pacific. This unusual church responsibility reflects the special conditions of pastoral care across scattered island communities.
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