Members of the Catholic faith joined Government leaders in Savai'i on Saturday to commemorate the day when the church first arrived in Samoa 178 years ago.

Held at Lealatele Parish in Savai'i, Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa raised the flag on behalf of the Government and together with the faithful acknowledged the church's contribution to the nation physically and spiritually.

Fiamē said the Catholic faith has had a profound impact on shaping the nation and the church's social and economic input into Samoa's development over the years has been the cornerstone of what modern-day Samoa.

Government leaders took the early boat on Saturday despite their busy schedule to mark the occasion with the Catholic faithful as well as its clergy.

Father Spa Silva, in an interview with the Samoa Observer, said the development and growth of the Catholic Church over the years was phenomenal.

"For the Catholic church, the goal is to be happy and what makes God happy is the real happiness we need and that's what we aim for," Fr. Silva said. "The church will stay faithful to its original belief and despite the different religious beliefs, we all worship one God, and the church will keep on maintaining its beliefs and develop further for the praise of God."

The celebration of 178 years of the church in Samoa will be remembered by members of the Samalaeulu parish for many years. Catholic missionaries arrived in Samoa in 1845 and today the church's faithful account for around 20 per cent of the country's overall population.

Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga was ordained as the first indigenous head of the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia in 2003. He passed away a month ago.

The church last Friday concluded its 5th World Apostolic Congress of Divine Mercy (WACOM5) where Catholic members from across the globe participated in a one-week program which was held at the St Therese Resort.