Sister Kinikini and I were leading the other senior missionaries up a crowded road in Nuku'alofa to the chapel where the coronation was to take place. However, when we turned around, there was not a senior missionary in sight. They were lost. .. so we two Sisters decided to continued on with plan A.
We eventually congratulated ourselves on finding a spot across the street from the church where we could watch all the action.
Fancy cars went by filled with the honorary guests of the king, and we even saw the king himself.
People in tuxedos, coat-tails, formal dresses, and jewels were being dropped off in front of the church.
We giggled over the various snazzy hats some of the women were wearing. As we were ogling over the guests, a "talker" for the royal family invited some of the "common people" who were out on the street to come and sit outside the church and watch the actual coronation through the open doors of the chapel. Hey, Sister Kinikini and I were "common people" so we rushed across the street only to have the gate closed on us.. They had enough of us commoners. As we were turning to leave, the Tongan usher opened the gate again and said that five more people could enter. A sweet, aggressive Tongan woman grabbed me, I grabbed Sister Kinikini, and she shoved both of us up to the front of the line and through the gate. We were in! Sister Kinikini and I proceeded to find two empty, small, blue chairs that were positioned outside the building and plopped ourselves down, totally amazed that we were going to attend the actual coronation of a king.
Just as we were getting comfortable, I was tapped on the shoulder by Papiloa who was the first woman to serve in the Tongan Parliament, who is a member of our Branch, and who Elder Thompson and I Home Teach. She invited us little missionaries to ENTER the building and sit on the large, soft, red-cushioned chairs. I sat next to a distinguished gentleman wearing a black tux with a medallion pinned onto his lapel and whose top hat was resting on the floor. Who would have believed that we were now part of the "honored guests?" My, we were moving up in the world!
The coronation was like stepping back in time ... to the Renaissance with the likes of Arthur, Lancelot, and the round table. First, the congregation stood during the royal procession.
Three pages carried the $650,000 train of His Majesty. (The red cloak was trimmed with fur and dragged about fourteen feet behind him.) Then there was the crown bearer, the royal sceptre bearer, and the ring bearer, followed by six lords in waiting, His Grace Archbishop, etc. Secondly, the procession ended at the front of the chapel with His Majesty sitting on a stately gold throne with George Tupou V engraved upon it. There were prayers, music provided by a choir and orchestra, and the "putting on of the crown."
This was followed by a 21 gun salute and the pealing of the Church Bells. "After the King had been anointed and crowned and had received all the ensigns of Royalty" (that part is quoted out of the program), the benediction was offered:
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord protect you in all
your ways and prosper all your handy work. Amen
May wisdom and knowledge be the stability of your times, and
the fear of the Lord your treasure. Amen
The royal procession with His Majesty King George Tupou V wearing his crown and ring sauntered back down the aisle and out into the church yard, as the audience stood and the choir sang the National Anthem.
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