Nauvoo Illinois Temple

Last updated

Nauvoo Illinois Temple
New Nauvoo Temple cropped.JPG
Nauvoo Illinois Temple
Number113
DedicationJune 27, 2002, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site3.3 acres (1.3 ha)
Floor area54,000 sq ft (5,000 m2)
Height162 ft (49 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Asunción Paraguay Temple
Nauvoo Illinois Temple		 →
The Hague Netherlands Temple
Additional information
AnnouncedApril 4, 1999, by Gordon B. Hinckley
GroundbreakingOctober 24, 1999, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Open houseMay 6 – June 22, 2002
Current presidentChris Vernon Church
Designed byFFKR Architecture [1] based on design by William Weeks
Location Nauvoo, Illinois, U.S.
Geographic coordinates 40°33′01.5″N91°23′04.4″W / 40.550417°N 91.384556°W / 40.550417; -91.384556
Exterior finishLimestone block quarried in Russellville, Alabama
Temple designGreek revival
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms4 (four-stage progressive)
Sealing rooms6
Clothing rentalYes
Visitors' center Yes
NotesBuilt on the site of the Nauvoo Temple and dedicated on the 158th anniversary of the death of Joseph Smith, the exterior is an almost exact reconstruction of the original temple. Primary difference is weather-vane has been replaced with a statue of Moroni. However, the interior has 4 progressive ordinance rooms with murals like those in the early Utah temples leading to the celestial room and 6 sealing rooms.
( edit )

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple is the 113th dedicated temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The intent to build the temple was announced on April 4, 1999, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley during general conference. [2] It is the third temple built in Illinois (after the original Nauvoo and Chicago Illinois temples). [3]

Contents

The temple has an attached end tower with a statue of the angel Moroni. [4] This temple’s architecture was designed to replicate the original Nauvoo Temple, which was designed by Joseph Smith. [3] A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on October 24, 1999, and was conducted Hinckley. [3]

History

Located in the town of Nauvoo, the temple's construction was announced on April 4, 1999, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. [5] Groundbreaking was conducted on October 24, 1999 and the cornerstones were laid November 5, 2000, with Hinckley presiding over both ceremonies. [3] The structure itself was built in the Greek Revival to replicate the architectural style of the original Nauvoo Temple, using limestone block quarried in Russellville, Alabama. [3]

The origins of the new temple go back to 1937 when Wilford C. Wood purchased some of the land on behalf of the LDS Church and purchased another piece of land that he later sold to the church. He also organized a group of church members from the Chicago Illinois Stake, co-led by Ariel S. Williams, to clear and beautify the recently purchased land. At the time, the Chicago Stake was one of only two east of the Mississippi River. [6]

Wood purchased land in 1951 that included a house which was made a visitors' center for the temple site. In the late-1950s, and then in 1962, agents for the LDS Church completed purchase of the temple lot. [7]

Following construction, an open house was held from May 6-June 22, 2002. The temple was dedicated by Hinckley on June 27, 2002. The dedication was broadcast via satellite to “2,300 locations throughout 72 countries and in 38 languages,” making it the first temple dedication to be broadcast internationally. [3]

Design and architecture

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple was designed to replicate the original Nauvoo Temple, [3] which utilized a mix of architectural styles, incorporating elements of Roman, Grecian, and Gothic architecture. [8] Designed by FFKR Architects, [9] the temple's architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of the Nauvoo region and its spiritual significance to the church.

The temple sits on a 3.3-acre plot, and the landscaping around the temple features a statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. [4]

Exterior

The building is constructed with limestone similar to the stone used for the original Nauvoo Temple. [3] The exterior has a single attached end tower with an angel Moroni statue, along with other elements chosen for their symbolic significance and alignment with temple traditions. [4] The design uses elements which reflect both local culture and broader church symbolism.

The building measures approximately 130 feet (40 m) long, 90 feet (27 m) wide, and 162 feet (49 m) tall to the top of the statue of angel Moroni on top of the temple spire. It has an area of 54,000 square feet (5,000 m2). [10] It is the church's only operating temple that has a bell tower; the Kirtland Temple also has a bell tower, but it is not a functioning temple. The angel on the first Nauvoo temple was a weathervane, sculpted of metal. The figure was positioned horizontally as if it were flying, clothed in a robe and cap. The angel held a book in one hand and a trumpet in the other. [8]

Church leaders and architects carefully worked to replicate the original exterior design of the 19th-century temple, which was damaged by an arson fire in 1848 and by a tornado on May 27, 1850. It was consequently condemned and demolished by the Nauvoo City Council. Construction materials and furniture were derived from the original design as well. [3]

Interior

The interior is inspired by the time period of the original temple, including a spiral staircase. [9] The temple includes five instruction rooms, a celestial room, six sealing rooms, an assembly room, a baptistry, and a chapel, each arranged for ceremonial use. [10] Symbolic elements are integrated into the design, providing deeper meaning to the temple's function and aesthetics.

The interior floor plan of the temple is noticeably different from the original structure in which the endowment ceremony assumed its present format. At the direction of Joseph Smith, the west end of the attic story was divided by cloth partitions into four spaces used to administer the endowment. One of the canvas "rooms" was decorated with potted plants to suggest the Garden of Eden. [11]

The Salt Lake City Endowment House and early Utah temples, each with a series of four ordinance rooms through which patrons moved during the presentation of the endowment, followed this layout. The first three rooms were decorated with murals representing, the creation of the world, the Garden of Eden, and the world after the fall of Adam and Eve. The fourth room, known as the Terrestrial Room, was ornately decorated but lacked murals. [12] The Los Angeles California Temple, dedicated in 1956, was the last temple with this layout. [13] Subsequent temples presented the endowment in one or two rooms without murals in the ordinance rooms. [14] The use of murals resumed again in 2001 with the opening of the Columbia River Washington Temple. [15] The Nauvoo Illinois Temple, using the four room layout, is the sole exception, as it has the four-room progressive format with murals decorating the first three rooms. [4]

Symbols

The design includes elements representing Latter-day Saint and Biblical symbolism, representing spiritual meaning to the temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is important to church members. One example is the temple’s sunstones used to decorate the exterior, which are a recreation of the sunstones featured on the original Nauvoo Temple. Like the original, the temple features “30 pilasters, each with a moonstone at the base and a sunstone at the top,” with a star stone above each sunstone. [16]

The sunstones were characterized by two hands holding trumpets above an image of the sun rising above clouds, while the moonstones featured relief carvings of downward-facing crescent moons. The star stones consisted of large five-pointed stars, each with an elongated bottom ray [8] Together, these elements represent “the glory of the latter-day church or kingdom, further symbolized by the sun rising through the clouds, with the trumpets heralding the restoration of the gospel and the glory of the latter-day Church of Jesus Christ.” [17]

Cultural and community impact

The temple and its surrounding grounds have been a gathering place for community events, including the Nauvoo Pageant and the British Pageant, which are both held every summer in Nauvoo. The Nauvoo Pageant is narrated by Parley P. Pratt, and tells the story of Joseph Smith, the early LDS Church, and the Nauvoo Temple. The British Pageant portrays the English Reformation and the church's first missions to Britain. [18]

The temple and the historic Nauvoo sites are managed by the church and provide educating and spiritually uplifting elements and insights into church history in Nauvoo. The Historic Nauvoo Visitors' Center, equipped with historic exhibits including a diorama of Nauvoo, provides all visitors with an understanding of the faith of early church members and the temple's unique place in church history. [19] [20]

Temple presidents

The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each typically serving a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff. [21] Notable presidents include Richard W. Winder (2002–04), who was the first after its dedication, [21] and Spencer J. Condie (2010–13).

As of 2024, Chris V. Church is the president, with Jane H. Church as matron. [3]

Admittance

After the temple was completed, a public open house from 6 May to 22 June 2002 and attracted over 250,000 visitors. The dedication on June 27, 2002, was the anniversary of the death of Joseph Smith, the church's founder. [3]

Up to 1.5 million visitors a year have visited Nauvoo since the temple opened in 2002. [22]

In 2020, like all the church's other temples, the Nauvoo Illinois Temple was closed for a time in response to the coronavirus pandemic. [23]

Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Illinois Temple</span> Temple of the LDS church

The Chicago Illinois Temple is the thirty-fifth temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the second of three church temples that have been built in Illinois. The intent to build the temple was announced during a press conference on April 1, 1981, by church president Spencer W. Kimball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London England Temple</span> Church in Surrey, England

The London England Temple is the twelfth operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is located in Newchapel, Surrey, England. Despite its name, it is not located in London or Greater London. The intent to build the temple was announced on August 10, 1953, by the church's First Presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Nevada Temple</span> Latter-day Saint Temple in Nevada

The Las Vegas Nevada Temple is the 43rd operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple was announced in April 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. George Utah Temple</span> Latter-day Saint Temple in St. George, Utah

The St. George Utah Temple, formerly known as the St. George Temple, is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah. Completed in 1877, it was the third temple constructed by the church and the first in Utah, following the westward migration of members from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of church founder Joseph Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardston Alberta Temple</span> Historic site in Alberta, Canada

The Cardston Alberta Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cardston, Alberta. It was the eighth temple constructed and is the sixth still in operation. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 12, 1912, by church president Joseph F. Smith, during the church's general conference. It was both the first temple built in Canada and outside the United States. There are four temples in the province of Alberta and ten operated by the church in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Falls Idaho Temple</span> Temple of the LDS Church

The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 3, 1937, by church president Heber J. Grant during the church's general conference. It is the church's tenth constructed and eighth operating temple, the first built in Idaho, and the first built with a modern single-spire design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">São Paulo Brazil Temple</span> LDS Temple in São Paulo, Brazil

The São Paulo Brazil Temple is the 19th constructed and 17th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the Brazilian city of São Paulo, it was the first Latter-day Saint temple built in South America, and the first to use a single story, single spire design. The spire is 101 feet tall. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 1, 1975, by church president Spencer W. Kimball at an area conference. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on March 20, 1976, conducted by James E. Faust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo Japan Temple</span> LDS Temple in Tokyo, Japan

The Tokyo Japan Temple is the 20th constructed and 18th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and dedicated in 1980, it was the first temple built in Asia. Its compact style provided a model for later buildings in urban areas, such as the Hong Kong China and Manhattan New York temples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boise Idaho Temple</span> Latter-day Saints temple in Boise Idaho

The Boise Idaho Temple is the 29th constructed and 27th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in the city of Boise, Idaho. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 31, 1982, by Gordon B. Hinckley under the direction of church president Spencer W. Kimball during a press conference. The temple was the second to be built in Idaho and is the only Idaho temple dedicated by Hinckley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston England Temple</span>

The Preston England Temple is the 52nd operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in the town of Chorley, 10 miles (16 km) south of Preston, in Lancashire, England. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 19, 1992 by Gordon B. Hinckley, then serving as first counselor in the First Presidency, during the rededication of the London England Temple. It was the second temple built in Great Britain, and the sixth built in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Massachusetts Temple</span> Temple of the LDS Church

The Boston Massachusetts Temple is the 100th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple</span> Latter-day Saints temple in American Fork, Utah, United States

The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple is the 49th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in American Fork, Utah and is the second temple built in Utah County and the ninth in Utah. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 3, 1992, by Gordon B. Hinckley during the church's general conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattan New York Temple</span> Temple of the LDS church

The Manhattan New York Temple is the 119th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the church's second "high rise" temple to be constructed, after the Hong Kong China Temple, and the third converted from an existing building, after the Vernal Utah and Copenhagen Denmark temples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Oregon Temple</span>

The Portland Oregon Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on 7 acres (28,000 m2) of land near the intersection of Highway 217 and I-5 in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 7, 1984 by church president Spencer W. Kimball, during the church's general conference. Dedicated in 1989, the Portland Oregon Temple was the church's first temple in Oregon and the 42nd in the church. Prior to its dedication by Gordon B. Hinckley, over 314,000 people attended the public open house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexico City Mexico Temple</span> Temple of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico City, Mexico

The Mexico City Mexico Temple is the 28th constructed and 26th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 3, 1967, by church president Spencer W. Kimball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rome Italy Temple</span> Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rome, Italy

The Rome Italy Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rome, Italy. The temple serves church members in Italy, as well as Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and parts of Romania. Thomas S. Monson, the LDS Church's president, announced the temple in 2008, a groundbreaking took place in 2010, and the temple opened after its dedication in 2019. The temple is the first in Italy and the 162nd worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple (LDS Church)</span> Latter Day Saint movement place of worship

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord. Temples are considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris France Temple</span> LDS Church temple in Le Chesnay, Paris, France

The Paris France Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Le Chesnay, a suburb of Paris, France, and is located near Versailles. On July 15, 2011, the church released a statement declaring the intent to build a temple in Paris. The Paris France Temple was officially announced on October 1, 2011, by church president Thomas S. Monson during the general conference. The Paris France Temple is the first temple built in Metropolitan France, and the second in France, after the Papeete Tahiti Temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Provo City Center Temple</span> Latter-day Saint temple in Provo, Utah, United States

The Provo City Center Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, built on the site of the former Provo Tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Completed in 2016, the temple uses much of the external shell of the tabernacle that remained from the original building after a fire in December 2010. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 1, 2011, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during the church's general conference. The temple is the second in Provo, was the sixteenth in Utah, and the church's 150th worldwide. This temple has a distinctive exterior with Gothic-inspired stained glass windows. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on May 12, 2012, conducted by Jeffrey R. Holland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylorsville Utah Temple</span> LDS temple in Utah, U.S.

The Taylorsville Utah Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Taylorsville, Utah. Plans to construct the temple were announced on October 5, 2019 by church president Russell M. Nelson, during the church's general conference. The temple is the first in the city of Taylorsville, the fifth in Salt Lake County, and the twenty-third in the state of Utah.

References

  1. ↑ "Nauvoo Illinois Temple", Church News
  2. ↑ "President Hinckley and the Nauvoo Temple". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Nauvoo Illinois Temple". Church News. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Nauvoo Illinois Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ Hinckley, Gordon B. (April 4, 1999). "Thanks to the Lord for His Blessings". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  6. ↑ Don F. Colvin. Nauvoo Temple: A Story of Faith. BYU Religious Studies Center, Chapter 13
  7. ↑ Colvin, Nauvoo Temple
  8. 1 2 3 "Exterior Features | Religious Studies Center". rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Nauvoo Illinois Temple". FFKR Architects. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Nauvoo Illinois Temple". Church News. March 10, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ Brown, Lisle G (1979). "The Sacred Departments for Temple Work in Nauvoo: The Assembly Room and the Council Chamber". Brigham Young University Studies. 19 (3): 360–374. ISSN   0007-0106.
  12. ↑ Brown, Lisle G (2008). ""Temple Pro Tempore": The Salt Lake City Endowment House". Journal of Mormon History. 34 (4): 1–68. ISSN   0094-7342.
  13. ↑ "Los Angeles California Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Temple Designs | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Temple inspires public". Church News. November 3, 2001. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Nauvoo Temple Sunstones". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  17. ↑ "The Smithsonian Sunstone: An Iconic Nauvoo Temple Relic | Religious Studies Center". rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  18. ↑ Moberly, Alan (July 20, 2024). "Nauvoo Pageant revives the past". Mississippi Valley Publishing. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Historic Nauvoo Illinois". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Historic Nauvoo Visitor's Center". Illinois Office of Tourism. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "Presidents and Matrons of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  22. ↑ Dennis, Jan (August 22, 2006). "Mormon temple a tourism draw for tiny Nauvoo". USA Today . AP.
  23. ↑ Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune , 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  24. ↑ "Inside Temples". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
Midwest USA.png
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonBlue.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonYellow.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonYellow.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonBlue.svg
ButtonRed.svg
ButtonRed.svg
class=notpageimage|
Temples in the United States Midwest ( edit )
  • ButtonRed.svg = Operating
  • ButtonBlue.svg = Under construction
  • ButtonYellow.svg = Announced
  • ButtonBlack.svg = Closed for renovation
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.