St. George Utah Temple | ||||
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Number | 1 | |||
Dedication | April 6, 1877, by Daniel H. Wells | |||
Site | 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) | |||
Floor area | 143,969 sq ft (13,375.2 m2) | |||
Height | 175 ft (53 m) | |||
Official website • News & images | ||||
Church chronology | ||||
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Additional information | ||||
Announced | 31 January 1871, by Brigham Young | |||
Groundbreaking | 9 November 1871, by Brigham Young | |||
Rededicated | November 11, 1975, by Spencer W. Kimball 10 December 2023, by Jeffrey R. Holland [1] | |||
Designed by | Truman O. Angell | |||
Location | St. George, Utah, United States | |||
Geographic coordinates | 37°6′1.450800″N113°34′41.17439″W / 37.10040300000°N 113.5781039972°W | |||
Exterior finish | Native red sandstone quarried north of the city and plastered white. | |||
Temple design | Castellated Gothic | |||
Baptistries | 1 | |||
Ordinance rooms | 3 (stationary) | |||
Sealing rooms | 18 | |||
Clothing rental | Available | |||
Visitors' center | Yes | |||
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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. [2]
Situated in the southwestern city of St. George, the temple was designed by Truman O. Angell, displaying greater architectural similarities to the Nauvoo Temple rather than the church's subsequent temples. The St. George Temple is the oldest temple still actively used by the church. [3] It has three ordinance rooms and 18 sealing rooms, covering a total floor area of 143,969 square feet (13,400 m2). [4] The St. George Temple was the first where church members could receive all temple ordinances for their ancestors. [5]
Brigham Young, the church's president, announced the construction of the St. George Temple on November 9, 1871. [6] Young selected St. George due to it being the location of some of his most loyal followers, aiming to bring unification to an area perceived as inhospitable. [7] St. George was founded by 309 families, as announced at the church's general conference, to initiate a cotton mission. [8] [6] At the announcement, some were a “mix of emotions,” and others were said to shout “Glory, hallelujah!” [7] [8] The settlement period posed challenges of starvation and economic hardship, and the construction of the temple played a crucial role in providing food and economic stability. [9]
When the St. George Temple was announced, the Salt Lake Temple would not be finished for another 22 years, as it was dedicated in 1893. [10] The St. George Temple was built to satisfy the church's immediate need for an appropriate place for temple ceremonies and ordinances. [11] The temple became the third completed by the church and the first in Utah. [12]
Young chose a 6-acre plot as the temple site, and despite health difficulties, he oversaw construction while maintaining a winter home in the area. [13] [14] As work began, workers discovered the site was swampy. These workers consulted Young on moving the site, but he remained firm that this was the site for the temple. [15] Young said the site had been selected as an ancient temple site by the Nephites (people in the Book of Mormon). [16]
To address the issue, workers created drains to eliminate as much water as possible before adding in stone for the foundation. Teams of oxen brought large lava rocks from a nearby quarry to the site to be crushed into gravel to create a dry foundation for the temple. Workmen suggested using an old cannon that the city had acquired to crush the stone. [17]
The old cannon was made in France and used by Napoleon during his siege on Moscow. During Napoleon's retreat, the cannon was left behind. It went to Siberia, then Alaska, ending up in California. Members of the Mormon Battalion acquired the cannon, mounted it on wheels, and brought it to Utah. After creating a pulley system utilizing horsepower, the cannon was filled with lead, encased in timbers, lifted thirty feet in the air, and then used as a pile driver to compact the foundation. [18] [19] It was reported that Young told the workmen that “when the cannon was dropped and it bounced three times, then the foundation was solid enough." [20]
Following the stabilization of the foundation, construction began on the temple structure. The walls were built using the red sandstone common to the area, with a final plaster finish for a white appearance. [21] The workers donated one day in ten as tithing labor, and historians James Allen and Glen Leonard made note of the pioneer's dedication to building the temple in Southern Utah.[ citation needed ] Some members donated half their wages to the temple, while others gave food, clothing, and other goods to aid those who were working full-time on the building. Women decorated the interior with handmade carpets, along with fringe made for the altars and pulpits all from Utah-produced silk. [17] It took local church members six years to complete the temple. [22] At its completion, it contained 1,000,000 board feet (2,000 m3) of lumber, which had been hand-chopped and hauled between 40 and 80 miles (60 and 100 km). They also used 17,000 tons of volcanic rock and sandstone, hand-cut, then hauled by oxen. [17]
To commemorate the finished structure, on April 6, 1877, the church's general conference was held there, during which the dedicatory prayer and services took place. [23] It was first dedicated by Daniel H. Wells, Brigham Young's second counselor in the First Presidency. [24] The St. George Temple was the only temple completed during Young's 29 years as church president. [6]
Young was initially displeased with the height of the tower, but because construction had taken so much time, historians speculate that he did not want to delay the project any longer. [7] Two years after his passing, in 1883, the tower was struck by lightning, resulting in a fire that destroyed the tower, while leaving the remainder of the temple unharmed. [7] Local legends vary in interpretation, some narratives suggesting the lightning strike and subsequent fire were perceived as a means to appease Brigham Young, while alternative accounts propose that he may have instigated the event. [25] [26] The reconstructed tower doubled in height as a homage to Young’s expressed preference. [7]
According to an account by Wilford Woodruff, then temple president and apostle, in August 1877, the spirits of the founding fathers and other "eminent” historical figures appeared to him in the St. George Temple. They asked why the rite of the endowment had not been performed on their behalf, despite the length the endowment house was in use. [27] [28] [29] [30] Woodruff documented these occurrences over multiple occasions spanning two days and two nights in his personal journals. [28] [30] Subsequently, baptisms and endowments were performed in the temple by John D. T. McAllister, Woodruff, and other church members in the area, contributing to ordinance work for a total of 100 men and women. [31] [32] Some individuals mentioned in these records include George Washington, Christopher Columbus, John Wesley, and Marie Antoinette. [27] [29] [33] [32] It is said that shortly after the visitations of the founding fathers and other historical figures, 85 Native American Chiefs had baptisms performed on their behalf. [34] [35]
Over its history, the temple has experienced ten renovations, including repairs to the cupola necessitated by the previously mentioned lightning strike. [36] Noteworthy instances include upgrades in 1917, marked by the enlargement of the annex. [37] In 1938, significant modifications were made to the floor plan, involving the relocation of endowment rooms from the basement to the main level, the introduction of murals, and the alignment of the temple with architectural trends of the 20th century. [37] In 1975, the annex was expanded to facilitate the transition from live actors to a film presentation of the endowment. [37] [38]
On November 4, 2019, the temple temporarily closed for renovations. [39] [40] During this refurbishment period, crews systematically removed specific 20th-century additions with the dual purpose of restoring the original architectural style and incorporating seismic upgrades. [41] Renovations throughout the building and on the site included motifs such as a five-point gold star and a quatrefoil. [41] Additional elements were introduced, such as a skylight, a bride's plaza, trees and landscaping improvements, an entrance to the baptistry, steel trusses, murals, a new annex, an updated electrical system, and heating and cooling units. [36] [41] [42]
The temple was designed by Truman O. Angell under Brigham Young's supervision. [11] Angell worked as a carpenter on the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, from which the design borrows architectural elements. [4] The temple has a rectangular shape made up of two stories, an octagonal spire, and a large assembly hall. The temple is situated on a 6.5-acre plot (2.6 ha) with multiple pedestrian plazas, along with gardens, seating elements, and a tiered water feature. [4] [11]
While the St. George Temple has a similar overall layout to the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, the exterior designs differ. The St. George Temple has a combination of Neo-Gothic Architecture, combined with a French Norman Revival Style, with parapets and battlements, and inside these towers, Angell introduced hexagonal staircases. [11] Certain elements like the neoclassical pilasters of Nauvoo and Kirtland were replaced with thin buttresses, and in the space between them, he added a porthole motif. [5] [11] Contemporary temples such as the Salt Lake City, Logan, and Manti Temples were designed to have the appearance of a fortified castle. [43]
Historically, the temple was originally designed with two large assembly halls akin to the earlier Kirtland and Nauvoo temples. [4] [11] The lower Assembly Hall was partitioned with curtains to facilitate the ordinance rooms for the endowment ceremony. [4] Currently, the temple's interior comprises a large assembly hall, a baptistry (for performing baptisms for the dead), three rooms designated for ordinances (such as the endowment and initiatory), and eighteen sealing rooms (where sealings are performed to eternally unite a husband and wife or children to their parents). [11] [44] [45]
Following the renovations in 2023, the design focused on evoking the historical pioneer era. [41] According to Andy Kirby, the director of the Church's historic temple renovations, “The interior design matches the historic temple and furnishings that would have been appropriate in the 1870s and 1880s.” [46] Lighting fixtures match the time period with wheel-cut glass shades with a gothic/grapevine design. [46] [47] The millwork is period-specific throughout the building. [47] The 2023 updates also introduced new murals for each instruction room, commissioned by three different artists. Each mural was crafted to “capture the rugged natural beauty of the southwest Utah landscape.” [41]
Like all temples of the church, the St. George Temple is not used for Sunday worship services. [48] To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship. [48] The visitors’ center is available to the public. [41] [49]
Notable presidents of the temple include Wilford Woodruff (1877–84); John D. T. McAllister (1884–93); J. Thomas Fyans (1992–95); and Bruce C. Hafen (2010–13). [50]
In the Latter Day Saint movement the second anointing is the pinnacle ordinance of the temple and an extension of the endowment ceremony. Founder Joseph Smith taught that the function of the ordinance was to ensure salvation, guarantee exaltation, and confer godhood. In the ordinance, a participant is anointed as a "priest and king" or a "priestess and queen", and is sealed to the highest degree of salvation available in Mormon theology.
Wilford Woodruff Sr. was an American religious leader who served as the fourth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death. He ended the public practice of plural marriage among members of the LDS Church in 1890.
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He served as second counselor to church president Brigham Young in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a temple is a building dedicated to being a house of God and is reserved for special forms of worship. A temple differs from a church meetinghouse, which is used for weekly worship services. Temples have been a significant part of the Latter Day Saint movement since early in its inception. Today, temples are operated by several Latter Day Saint denominations. The most prolific builder of temples of the Latter Day Saint movement is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS Church has 335 temples in various phases, which includes 188 dedicated temples, 52 under construction, and 95 others announced. Several others within the movement have built or attempted to build temples. The Community of Christ operates two temples in the United States, which are open to the public and are used for worship services, performances, and religious education. Other denominations with temples are the Apostolic United Brethren, the Church of Christ, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Brigham Young Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F. Smith was the president of the Quorum.
In temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an ordinance room is a room where the ceremony known as the Endowment is administered, as well as other ordinances such as Sealings. Some temples perform a progressive-style ordinance where patrons move from room to room, each room representing a progression of mankind: the Creation room, representing the Genesis creation story; the Garden room represents the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall of man; the World room, where Adam and Eve lived after the fall; the Terrestrial room; and the Celestial room representing the Celestial Kingdom of God, or more commonly, heaven. There is also an additional ordinance room, the Sealing room, and at least one temple has a Holy of Holies. These two rooms are reserved for the administration of ordinances beyond the Endowment. The Holy of Holies is representative of that talked about when the temple is discussed in the bible.
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 was previously one of only two remaining Latter-day Saint temples in the world where live portrayal was used in the endowment ceremony. All other temples use a film in the presentation of the endowment, a practice that will also be used in Manti following renovation. It is an early pioneering example of four rooms representing the journey of life.
The Provo Utah Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Provo, Utah just north of Brigham Young University (BYU). The temple is a sacred space for church members to make covenants and perform ordinances for themselves and their deceased ancestors. The temple was designed by architect Emil B. Fetzer and was dedicated in 1972 as the church's seventeenth constructed and fifteenth operating temple. It was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the original design of the Ogden Utah Temple. The temple has 6 ordinance rooms and 12 sealing rooms, and its design was inspired by a scripture in Exodus 13:21. In 2021, the church announced plans to reconstruct the temple with a new design after the dedication of the Orem Utah Temple.
The Endowment House was an early building used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to administer temple ordinances in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. From the construction of the Council House in 1852, Salt Lake City's first public building, until the construction of the Endowment House, the members of the LDS Church used the top floor of the Council House for administering temple ordinances. When this arrangement proved impractical, Brigham Young directed Truman O. Angell, architect of the Salt Lake Temple, to design a temporary temple. Completed in 1855, the building was dedicated by Heber C. Kimball and came to be called the Endowment House after the endowment ceremonies that were conducted inside it.
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 with a current temple recommend are permitted to enter. Thus, they are not churches or meetinghouses, but rather specialized places of worship. The LDS Church has 335 temples in various phases, which includes 188 dedicated temples, 52 under construction, and 95 others announced. Within temples, members of the LDS 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 law of adoption was a ritual practiced in temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1846 and 1894 in which men who held the priesthood were sealed in a father–son relationship to other men who were not part of nor even distantly related to their immediate nuclear family.
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.
John Daniel Thompson McAllister was a 19th-century regional leader of 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.
In the theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with the ordinances performed in Latter Day Saint temples. The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith. The term has referred to many such gifts of heavenly power, including the confirmation ritual, the institution of the High Priesthood in 1831, events and rituals occurring in the Kirtland Temple in the mid-1830s, and an elaborate ritual performed in the Nauvoo Temple in the 1840s.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Red Cliffs Utah Temple, originally announced as the Washington County Utah Temple, is a temple awaiting dedication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah. The intent to construct the temple was announced in October 2018 by church president Russell M. Nelson. When completed, it will be the second temple in Washington County, with the St. George Utah Temple being the first, and the fourth in southern Utah.
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