Holy Cross Catholic Mission Church

Wairiki Village is home to both the Meridian Cinema and 19th-century Holy Cross Catholic Mission Church. Built to reward a French missionary for helping locals defeat invading Tongans, the church overlooks a soccer field and the Somosomo Strait. An important canoe battle also took place on this beach in the mid-17th century; a painting depicting it is on display in the church. The mission was built to thank a French missionary who helped the local warriors with their fight strategy. The priest gave a silver cross to the chief and said it would help them win the battle with the Tongans. The chief promised that if they won the battle they would become Catholics. Win the battle they did, but before they became Catholics, or so the story goes, the warriors cooked their dead enemies in a lovo oven and ate them with breadfruit. Sunday mass is in Fijian, and the choir singing is spectacular. The church overflows with worshipers, and most sit on the floor.