Historedia
Episode 2 of 2

First Christian Sermon at Oihi Bay

When
25 December 1814
Where
Oihi Bay
Part of
Samuel Marsden's first sermon in New Zealand

Marsden preached the first known Christian sermon in New Zealand at Oihi Bay on Christmas Day 1814, likely in Māori.

Marsden raised the Union Jack over Oihi Bay, a cove in Rangihoua Bay, and delivered the first known Christian sermon on New Zealand soil. The service used the Book of Common Prayer in English, but Marsden likely preached in Māori, having learned the language from Ruatara.

Sources

  1. Samuel Marsden Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-17
  2. Rangihoua Bay Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-29

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.