Religion has played an important role in the history of the Hawaiian Islands. When Christian missionaries arrived in the islands, they brought with them their belief system and the church. From small rural chapels to huge cathedrals located in the heart of Hawaii’s capital, you’ll find countless beautiful churches across the Hawaiian Islands, including one of the islands’ oldest standing Christian churches.
Nestled in the heart of Honolulu, Kawaiaha’o Church is an absolute beauty to behold, whether or not you are a practicing Christian.
Wally Gobetz/Flickr
Popularly known as Hawaii’s Westminster Abbey, Kawaiaha’o Church was once the national church of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and the chapel for the royal family. The church was frequented by Hawaiian chiefs, and state burials, as well as the baptisms of ali’i, were held here.
Tess Dixon/Flickr
Kawaiaha’o is also the oldest church on Oahu and one of the oldest standing Christian places of worship in the state, though four thatched-rook churches stood at or near the present site before construction of this coral church.
Tess Dixon/Flickr
The Kawaiaha’o mission was started in 1820 and the physical church was constructed between 1836 and 1842 from approximately 14,000 thousand-pound slabs of coral rock that was quarried from an offshore reef on the southern coast of Oahu.
Wally Gobetz/Flickr
Inside, portraits of Hawaiian ali’i line the walls of the balcony, and though designed in a simple New England style, the church is a true work of art. The organ dates back to 1964 and features 2,500, the largest of which is 22 feet long and one foot in diameter and the smallest of which is the size of a pencil.
Wally Gobetz/Flickr
Along with the Mission Houses, which comprise the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site, the church was designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1962 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
Lismadom/Flickr
Kawaiaha’o still uses the Hawaiian language during their services today, one of the only churches in Hawaii to do so. Devout Christians and history buffs are sure to find this historic site fascinating.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
For more information about Kawaiaha’o Church, visit their website. Have you ever experienced the beauty of this historic church for yourself? If so, share your experience with us in the comments below.
Wally Gobetz/Flickr
Tess Dixon/Flickr
Lismadom/Flickr
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
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Address: Kawaiaha?o Church, 957 Punchbowl St, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
