Temple (LDS Church)

This article is about temples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For temples in the broader Latter Day Saint movement, see Temple (Latter Day Saints).
See also: List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Helsinki Finland Temple in the Karakallio district in Espoo, Finland

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), 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.

Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple with missionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of the temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as a "House of the Lord", after which only members who are deemed "temple-worthy" by their congregational leaders are permitted entrance.[1]

Temples are not churches or Meetinghouses designated for public weekly worship services, but rather are places of worship open only to the faithful where certain rites of the church must be performed.[2]

The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 197 dedicated temples (190 operating and 7 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation[3]), 5 scheduled for dedication, 49 under construction, 1 scheduled for groundbreaking,[4] and 115 others announced (not yet under construction).[5] There are temples in many U.S. states, as well as in many countries across the world. Several temples are at historical sites of the LDS Church, such as Nauvoo, Illinois, Palmyra, New York, and Salt Lake City, Utah. The importance of temples is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in "temple work" is strongly encouraged for all Latter-day Saints (LDS).

Within temples, members of the church make covenants, receive instructions, and perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances, such as baptism for the dead, washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), the endowment, and eternal marriage sealings. Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by the Lord's covenant people in all dispensations.

LDS temple construction reached an all-time high in 2000. As of March 2016, there are 150 operating temples.[6][7]
Chart of temple construction as of November 2024
  1. ^ Duffy, John Charles; Howlett, David J. (2017). Mormonism: The Basics. New York City: Routledge. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-315-45396-5 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Of Chapels and Temples: Explaining Mormon Worship Services", News Release, Newsroom, LDS Church, 15 November 2007, retrieved 2012-10-10
  3. ^ Hill, Victoria (January 23, 2023). "Plans announced to rebuild, relocate Anchorage Alaska Temple". KUTV. Retrieved July 6, 2024. (The Anchorage Alaska Temple is being relocated and resized. While the new temple is under construction, the existing temple is open and will be decommissioned and demolished after the new one is dedicated).
  4. ^ Taylor, Scott (July 28, 2024). "A mid-year look at temple milestones for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". Church News. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  5. ^ (Additionally, the church has 1 historic site temple). "Sacred Sites and Historic Documents Transfer to Church of Jesus Christ". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. March 5, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "150th Temple Is Dedicated: Provo City Center Temple becomes the 16th Utah temple", Newsroom, LDS Church, 2016-03-20
  7. ^ Walch, Tad (March 20, 2016), "Elder Oaks dedicates Provo City Center Temple as 150th temple of the LDS Church", Deseret News, archived from the original on March 23, 2016