Thousands of people gathered, despite the poor weather, to pray for forgiveness and for the country in the face of the growing challenges it is experiencing.

The Tonga National Forum of Church Leaders organised the occasion after an increasing number of murders, road deaths and the most severe cyclone ever recorded.

There is said to be a conviction among the church leaders in Tonga that the unusually high number of murder cases and people dying from road accidents recently were a result of the "sinful way of life" that Tongans are living.

Illegal drugs and excess alcohol were said to be the cause of some of the fatalities.

One of the church leaders asked everyone, including the King, to kneel and offer their prayers to God.

Seven choirs performed to the thousands in the run-up to the service.

A famous Tongan hymn called Pule'anga mo e Siasi ka e malohi ha fonua was sung.

The hymn says that the church and state must stand together for the country to stand at all.

The event was a display of Christian unity from seven different churches - the Church of Latter Day Saints, Siasi Tokaikolo, the Free Church of Tonga, the Free Constitutional Church of Tonga, the Church of Tonga, the Roman Catholic Church and the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.

Source

• royalcentral.co.uk
• cookislandsnews.com
• Image tonganz.net

They later met Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States.

King Tupou expressed his satisfaction at the election of the first Cardinal from Tonga, Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi.

During the discussion attention was paid to the recent political developments in Tonga.

The discussion also included a number of aspects of social and economic life, as well as the positive contribution of the Catholic Church in various areas of society.

There was also an exchange of opinions on the international situation.

Particular reference was made to the island states of the Pacific and the environmental problems that some of them are facing.

Source

• Vatican Radio
• Image: Vatican Radio/Reuters

On Sunday they attended a service at the Wesley Methodist Church on Taranaki St in Wellington

Local pastor, Reverend Viliami Finau, said the children had been excited about the visit for weeks.

"It is very exciting for the little ones. It's all they have been talking about," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen my grandchildren get up and ready for church so fast."

The service was attended by members from Tongan churches from around the region including Wellington, Tawa, Lower Hutt, Avalon and Upper Hutt.

Tupou VI, whose full name is Ahoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho Tupou VI; was born 12 July 1959

.He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Tongan throne, as his brother (a bachelor) had no legitimate children.

He served as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and resided in Canberra until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho became King of Tonga, with the regal name Tupou VI.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Wikipedia
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Opening the 89th annual conference of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in Nuku'alofa, the King also said he supported the idea of halving the number of daily meals during conference from 4 to just 2.

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On February 24 he had an audience with Pope Benedict in the Vatican and appeared healthy and ebullient.

Thew cabinet has established a committee to arrange the funeral and the kingdom's official mourning period.

The deceased Kings's body will be transported from Hong Kong to Tonga on board a special commercial aircraft chartered by the Chinese Government and will arrive in Tonga next Monday, March 26th.

It was first announced that the state funeral King George Tupou V would take place Wednesday, March 28, after two days lying in state but it has been moved forward a day to Tuesday, March 27, at the request of his successor King Tupou VI. A government spokesman did not specify why the date had been changed, other than to say arrangements had been made by the new King.

When the cabinet discussed arrangements for the funeral it said it will have to take into account the cost of a funeral and the coronation of his brother and successor because the country is so cash strapped.

The Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga is preparing for the funeral.

On Monday the church's general secretary, Tevita Havea, said the congregation was still trying to come to terms with the death.

"As far as preparation is concerned, the president of the church is responsible for drafting the whole religious programme. I was given the task of assigning local congregations to visit one of the royal residences. We will do the same tomorrow and the following days."

The chair of the Auckland-based Tongan Advisory Council says Tongans in New Zealand would have liked to have paid their respects and expressed their disappointment that the body of King George will be flown directly to Tonga without a stop in Auckland. However The Methodist and Catholic communities in Auckland have been reported to be arranging special services on Sunday to mark the King's death.

The New Zealand Christian Network and the South Pacific Evangelical Alliance have expressed their deepest sympathies to the people of Tonga ."We honour the King's contribution, especially to advancing the cause of democracy in Tonga, and know he will be missed with great sadness by people around the Pacific as well as in the islands of Tonga."

His reign was a short one, just 3 years, unlike that of his father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who was on the throne for 41 years, and his grandmother Queen Salote who ruled for 47 years.

He has been succeeded by his youngest brother, Tupouto'a Lavaka Ata.

Source

• www.michaelfield.org
• FijiVillage.com
• Radio New Zealand International
• Image: yahoonews.com

Ces sujets ont été ensuite approfondis à l'occasion d'un entretien « cordial » avec l'archevêque Dominique Mamberti, secrétaire au Vatican chargé des relations internationales, concernant « des aspects divers de la vie social et économique » (de Tonga), ainsi que « la contribution positive de l'Eglise catholique » dans ces secteurs.

Tonga met en œuvre depuis plus de cinq ans et après les émeutes du 16 novembre 20006 une série de réformes politiques qui ont vu, lors des dernières élections de fin 2010, l'avènement d'un Parlement comportant une proportion plus élevée d'élus non membres de la famille royale. Le roi George V, 63 ans, a été couronné le 2 août 2008, succédant ainsi à son père, Taufaʻahau Tupou IV, décédé en 2006 à l'âge de 88 ans et après une durée record de 41 ans.

Au royaume de Tonga, sur une population d'un peu plus de cent mille habitants, la religion catholique représente environ seize mille fidèles, loin derrière d'autres dénominations chrétiennes essentiellement protestantes : l'Eglise méthodiste Wesleyenne (38.000), l'Église des Saints du Dernier Jour de Jésus [assimilée aux Mormons] (17.000), l'Eglise Libre de Tonga (11.500), ou encore l'Église de Tonga (7.300). D'autres dénominations sont aussi représentées, telles que l'Eglise anglicane, les Adventistes du septième jour, l'Assemblée de Dieu.

On Friday the King of Tonga, Siaosi Tupou V, met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

Their discussion dwelt on various aspects of the country's social and economic life, as well as on the positive contribution the Catholic Church makes in various sectors of society, and her activities of human developement in Tonga.

There followed an exchange of opinions on the international situation, with particular reference to the Pacific island States.

The King of Tonga then gave the Pope a signed photograph of himself, in turn, the pope gave the king a medal of his pontificate.

After his session with the Holy Father, the King met with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Secretary for Relations with States.

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Source:

• Tahiti Infos
• Matangi Online
• VIS
• Image: Screen Shot Romreports.com