The open house has begun for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s the first in the United States territory of American Samoa.
After a Nov. 2 media day and Nov. 3 tours for invited guests, the public can tour this sacred edifice from Wednesday, Nov. 4, to Saturday, Nov. 21, excluding Sundays.
Accompanying news representatives through the temple on today’s media day were two General Authority Seventies: Elder K. Brett Nattress, assistant executive director of the Temple Department, and Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, a member of the Church’s Pacific Area presidency.
In conjunction with Monday’s media day, the Church’s Pacific Newsroom published interior and exterior photos of the temple.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will then dedicate the temple next month, on Sunday, Dec. 13, with the ceremony broadcast to all congregations in the temple district.
With dedications currently announced, the Pago Pago temple will become the Church’s 232nd after it’s dedicated. It’s also currently planned as the last temple dedication of 2026.
Design and features
Drawing from American Samoa’s culture and environment, design motifs give a nod to traditional Samoan weaving and carving, along with familiar designs in island architecture. Hues of green and gold draw inspiration from the island vegetation and the colors of sunrise and sunset.
The design of the red ginger plant — the national flower of nearby Samoa — is incorporated in art-glass windows throughout the temple.
The Pago Pago temple is a single-story, 17,000-square-foot building located in Tafuna, American Samoa, and the site includes housing for the temple president and missionaries and a distribution center.
About the Pago Pago temple
A temple for Pago Pago was originally announced in 1977, by then-Church President Spencer W. Kimball, to serve Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific. But when he announced temples for Nuku‘alofa, Tonga, and Papeete, Tahiti, in 1980, he also announced a location change from American Samoa to Apia, Samoa.
A Pago Pago temple was announced anew on April 7, 2019, by then-Church President Russell M. Nelson. It was one of eight locations he identified in the April 2019 general conference, alongside another Polynesian temple — for Neiafu, Tonga.
Ground was broken for the Pago Pago temple on Oct. 30, 2021. Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy and then first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area presidency, presided over the ceremony.
“As we symbolically turn the soil,” he said, “let us turn our hearts to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us establish a firm foundation in our Savior.”
About the Church in American Samoa
Of the 22 temples in various stages across Oceania — and with the Pago Pago temple now built — five are in the construction phase: the Neiafu Tonga (since 2021), Port Vila Vanuatu (2023), Port Moresby Papua New Guinea (2023), Tarawa Kiribati (2024) and Wellington New Zealand (2025) temples.
The Pago Pago temple will join Oceania’s 11 operating temples — the Hamilton New Zealand (dedicated in 1958), Apia Samoa (1983), Nuku‘alofa Tonga (1983), Papeete Tahiti (1983), Sydney Australia (1984), Adelaide Australia (2000), Melbourne Australia (2000), Suva Fiji (2000), Perth Australia (2001), Brisbane Australia (2003) and Auckland New Zealand (2025) temples.
Missionary work began in present-day American Samoa in June 1888, with the opening of the Samoan Mission. Before American Samoa became a U.S. territory in 1900, the first meetinghouse constructed in Samoa was dedicated Oct. 28, 1888, in Aunu‘u. A branch was organized the same day.
On June 15, 1969, the Pago Pago Stake — the first in American Samoa — was created. From 1985 to 1991, Church membership doubled from about 5,500 members to around 11,000.
Today, American Samoa is home to more than 17,600 Latter-day Saints, meeting across 44 wards and branches.
Pago Pago American Samoa Temple
Address: Ottoville Road, Tafuna, Western District 96799, American Samoa
Announced: April 7, 2019, by President Russell M. Nelson
Groundbreaking: Oct. 30, 2021, presided over by Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy
Public open house: Nov. 4-21, 2026, excluding Sundays
To be dedicated: Dec. 13, 2026, by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Building size: 17,000 square feet
