Seeing Hawaii’s churches is a unique and inspiring activity to do during your vacation. And Kawaiahao Church in Honolulu should top your list – learn about it here first!
The First Church
Three historic churches mark the introduction of Christianity to Hawaii. Although all three are near one another in downtown Honolulu, each has a distinct character and something unique that makes it special.
Kawaiahao Church is credited with being the first Christian church built on Oahu.
This historic congregational church is listed along with the nearby Mission Houses as a National Historic Landmark. It was designed by the Reverend Hiram Bingham and built between 1836 and 1842. The current building is often referred to as the “Westminster Abbey of the Pacific.” It replaced several earlier structures made of thatched grass and lined with mats.
Kawaiahao Church was known as the “Stone Church,” but it is actually made of giant slabs of coral quarried from ocean reefs. Native Hawaiians quarried fourteen thousand pounds of coral rock underwater by hand, diving 10 to 20 feet to chisel the pieces. They raised the coral to the surface and transported it by canoe, then hauled it to the construction site.
Royal History at Kawaiahao Church
King Kamehameha III contributed generously to the construction of the church and Hawaii royalty often attended services there. For dedication ceremonies on July 21, 1842, the church grounds overflowed with four to five thousand worshippers.
The Kawaiahao Church was constructed at about the same time as the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. Later, King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma established the Anglican Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, which replaced Kawaiahao Church as principal center of royal worship.
Today, portraits of Hawaii royalty hang on the walls of the upper level of Kawaiahao Church, beginning with Kamehameha the Great. Services each Sunday still include prayers and hymns in the Hawaiian language.
Visiting Kawaiahao Church
The church welcomes visitors to its Sunday services, but photos and videos aren’t permitted during this time. However, you can take a walking tour of the church and grounds, complete with QR codes that provide audio guidance.
