Our Lady of the Marquesas Islands

In 1848, Bishop Dordillon(1) began his work of evangelizing the Marquesas Islands. Today, the Catholic faith is deeply rooted in this group of islands in the French archipelago. The highly respected Our Lady of the Marquesas Islands Cathedral is a “little Vatican” for the locals.

Tucked away in the middle of Taiohae Bay, capital of Nuku Hiva Island (the main island of the Marquesas archipelago of French Polynesia), Our Lady of the Marquesas Cathedral (or Notre-Dame de Taiohae) is set back from the sea at a place called Mauia. Since 1975, it is the rallying point of the faithful in this South Pacific diocese.

The path leading to the cathedral is indicated on the road bordering Taiohae Bay by a carved Marquesan cross erected on a raised stone. This cross marks the entrance of the Catholic Mission which houses Saint Joseph School, among other structures.

It was King Temoana of Nuku Hiva who gave the land to the Catholic Diocese, after converting to Catholicism during the time of Bishop Dordillon(1), founding bishop of the Marquesan Church. Bishop Dordillon died in 1888, after 40 years of successful evangelization. His tomb is located inside the cathedral, under a slab at the foot of a large statue of the Virgin Mary.

(1) A French Picpussian priest who was sent to the Marquesas Islands to evangelize them and of which he became bishop.

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