This list of pageants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delineates those annual outdoor theatrical performance produced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is reminiscent of early Christian Pageants which reenacted the world history in processional performance. Latter-day Saint pageants are held outdoors, they are free to the public, and typically last for a two-week period. In December 2018, the LDS Church announced that four pageants will phased out over the next several years. [1]
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, United States, where Joseph Smith said he found a set of golden plates which he translated into English and published as the Book of Mormon.
William Harrison Folsom was an architect and contractor. He constructed many of the historic buildings in Utah, particularly in Salt Lake City. Folsom is probably best known as a Latter-day Saint ("Mormon") architect. Many of his most prominent works were commissioned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a time he was sustained as the Church Architect, a calling in the church.
The Mesa Arizona Temple is the seventh operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Mesa, Arizona, it is the first of six LDS temples built or planned in the state.
The Manti Utah Temple is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third Latter-day Saint temple built west of the Mississippi River, after the Mormons' trek westward. The Manti Temple was designed by William Harrison Folsom, who moved to Manti while the temple was under construction. The temple dominates the Sanpete Valley, and can be seen from many miles. Like all Latter-day Saint temples, only church members in good standing may enter. It is one of only two remaining Latter-day Saint temples in the world where live actors are used in the endowment ceremonies ; all other temples use films in the presentation of the endowment, a practice that will end following renovations announced in 2021. It is an early pioneering example of four rooms representing the journey of life.
The Oakland California Temple is the 15th constructed and 13th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During a January 23, 1961 meeting, plans for the temple were announced by David O. McKay. Ground was broken on May 26, 1962, with the cornerstone laid May 25, 1963, and dedication on November 19, 1964.
The Mormon Miracle Pageant was a Latter-day Saint pageant held in Manti, Utah, until it was discontinued in 2019. An annual outdoor theatrical performance, it was produced by an amateur cast of over five hundred members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The nightly program took place on the south lawn of temple hill at the Manti Temple, usually in June. The two-week pageant would typically draw an average of 15,000 people per night over an eight-night performance.
Below is a chronological list of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with sortable columns. In the LDS Church, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time, and then each is dedicated as a "House of the Lord," after which only members in good standing are permitted to enter. Thus, they are not churches or meetinghouses, but rather specialized places of worship. There are 173 dedicated temples, 51 under construction, and 58 announced, for a total of 282. Within temples, members of the church make covenants, receive instructions, and perform rituals and ordinances. Additionally, members consider the temple a place to commune with God, seek God's aid, understand God's will, and receive personal revelation.
The Gila Valley Arizona Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the town of Central between the communities of Pima and Thatcher in Arizona. The temple was dedicated on May 23, 2010, following an open house period from April 23 to May 15.
The Phoenix Arizona Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. It was completed in 2014 and is the 144th temple of the LDS Church. The announcement of the planned construction of the temple on May 24, 2008, came a month after the Gila Valley and Gilbert temples were announced for Arizona.
The Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant is an annual production of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints entitled Jesus the Christ and staged on the grounds of the Mesa Arizona Temple. One of the six LDS pageants, the Mesa Pageant is now the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world.
The Hill Cumorah Pageant was an annual production of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints staged at the foot of the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra, New York. Premiering in 1937, it was considered to be the flagship pageant of the LDS Church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the second largest religious denomination in Arizona, behind the Roman Catholic Church. In 2019, the church reported 436,521 members in Arizona, about 6% of the state's population. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, roughly 5% of Arizonans self-identify most closely with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah refers to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Utah. Utah has more church members than any other U.S. state or country. The LDS Church is also the largest denomination in Utah.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo refers to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As of 2019, the LDS Church reported 68,871 members in 211 congregations in the DRC, making it the third largest body of LDS Church members in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ghana. Currently, the DRC ranks as having the 16th highest LDS growth rate among countries of the world, with an annual growth rate of 13 percent.
Three missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started proselyting to white English-speaking people in Cape Town in 1853. Most converts from this time emigrated to the United States. The mission was closed in 1865, but reopened in 1903.The South African government limited the amount of missionaries allowed to enter the country in 1921 and in 1955. Starting around 1930, a man had to trace his genealogy out of Africa to be eligible for the priesthood, since black people were not permitted to be ordained. In 1954 when church president David O. McKay visited South Africa, he removed the requirement for genealogical research for a man to be ordained, stipulating only that "there is no evidence of his having Negro blood in his veins".
The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Tucson Arizona Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, just north of Tucson. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 6, 2012, during the church's semi-annual general conference. The temple is 38,216 square feet (3,550.4 m2) and is located on a 7.4-acre (3.0 ha) site.