About Tonga > Culture > Religion in the Kingdom of Tonga

Religion closely follows the family in importance, and almost all Tongans are churchgoers.

Sunday in the Kingdom of Tonga is devoted to church going and relaxation.  The harmonized singing, clanging of church bells and the beat of the “lali” (wooden drums) are all familiar sounds of a Tongan Sunday. On a Sunday, the streets are empty, all businesses (except those for visitors) are closed, sports are prohibited and even planes don’t fly. Even contracts signed on a Sunday are void. It is inadvisable to create any disturbance, operate noisy equipment, or be loud on Sundays.

Virtually every denomination is represented in the Kingdom of Tonga with the majority of Tongans belonging to the Free Wesleyan Church.  Among the other major churches are the Roman Catholic Church, the Free Church of Tonga, the Church of Tonga, Tonga Constitution Church, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Anglican Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and other small churches.

In the Kingdom of Tonga, where the king is the head of the church, religious observances affect the calendar. Government and shops close down on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas day. Government takes a vacation that extends from the week before Christmas until the first week of January.

Click here to see where and when you can attend Tongan and English church services.