Coming of the Light Festival

A picture of a small white church with spires, nestled next to palm trees and bushes.
All Saints Anglican Church on Erub (Darnley Island) in the Torres Strait.

The Coming of the Light Festival is celebrated in the Torres Strait Islands on 1 July each year. It commemorates the arrival of the London Missionary Society in Torres Strait at Erub (Darnley Island) on 1 July 1871, introducing Christianity to the region. The predominantly Christian Torres Strait Islanders hold religious and cultural ceremonies across Torres Strait and mainland Australia to celebrate the day.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ "The Coming of the Light Festival". Torres Strait Regional Authority. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007.
  2. ^ Celebrations and holidays; Torress Strait Island Regional Council
  3. ^ Torres Strait Islands: Coming of the Light festival; Australian Geographic, July 21, 2015