A funeral for a Tongan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia, Assistant Bishop Afa Vaka, who died in New Zealand recently, will be held in Nuku’alofa this week.
The Diocese of Polynesia, in a tribute yesterday, said they “mourned the loss of a beloved teacher, father, leader and spiritual guide.”
Assistant Bishop Vaka passed away peacefully on the evening of Sunday, 13 April 2025, at his family residence in Auckland, and was to be repatriated from New Zealand to Tonga today, 23 April.
The funeral service will be conducted by the Most Reverend Sione Silongo Uluilakepa, Bishop of the Diocese of Polynesia, at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Nuku’alofa at 11:00am on Friday 25 April.
The body will be brought to St. Paul's Anglican Church at 6:00 am to lie in wake. “Family, friends, and members of the community are invited to attend and pay their respects,” the Diocese stated.
The Most Revd Ulu’ilakepa paid tribute to the late Assistant Bishop Afa Vaka, who “was a servant of God and a faithful dedicated member of the clergy of the Diocese of Polynesia for over 20 years.”
“He was ordained as a deacon at Holy Trinity Church in Auckland in November 2003 and was licensed as a priest serving the ‘Ofa ki he Laumalie Parish in December 2004. Returning to Tonga in 2006, he became the Ministry Training Officer for Tonga, and in 2010, he assumed responsibility as the Priest-in-Charge at St. Barnabas Anglican Church. In 2017, he was ordained Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Polynesia in the Tonga Episcopal Unit, faithfully serving in this role and as Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church until his retirement in July 2019.
“Before answering his call to priesthood, the late Assistant Bishop Afa Vaka dedicated himself to education as a teacher and principal at Saint Andrew’s High School, shaping the lives of many students through his leadership and wisdom. He later earned his Doctorate in Ministry from the Faith Seminary in Tonga, continuing to blend his passion for learning and spiritual guidance throughout his ministry.
“Bishop Vaka's legacy as a loving father to his children, a person of service, compassion, and spiritual leadership will long be cherished by the Diocese of Polynesia and all who had the privilege of knowing him,” stated the Archbishop Ulu’ilakepa.
