The Atoll of Abaiang is situated north of the capital island, Tarawa. The name Abaiang traditionally means “land in the North.” In 1788 it was explored by Captain Thomas Gilbert. Abaiang is also known as the first island in Kiribati where Christianity was first introduced following the arrival of the first Protestant Missionaries, Dr. Rev. Hiram Bingham and his team who arrived and went ashore at Koinawa on 16 November 1857. Bingham is also praised for producing the Kiribati language literature. On the 10th of June 1892 Captain Davies of the “Royalist‟ arrived in Abaiang and hoisted the English flag. Christian Roman Catholic faith was also introduced to Abaiang and the missionaries completed the building of the imposing Church of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 1907, which is still stands today at Koinawa village. This work was done under the supervision of a priest from Belgium who was given the local name of Father Ioane and the village Borotiam was named after is home country Belgium, the Kiribati translation of Belgium. The Catholic school of St. Joseph’s College in Tabwiroa is one of the oldest educational institutions in Kiribati founded in 1939. The school produced two former Presidents of Kiribati; His Excellency President Teburoro Tito and His Excellency President Anote Tong.