Provo Utah Temple

The Provo Utah Temple (formerly the Provo Temple) is the 17th constructed and 15th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Provo, Utah, it was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the original design of the Ogden Utah Temple.

Provo Utah Temple
Number 15
Dedicated February 9, 1972 (February 9, 1972) by
Joseph Fielding Smith
Site 17 acres (6.9 hectares)
Floor area 128,325 sq ft (11,922 m2)
Height 175 ft (53 m)
Preceded by Ogden Utah Temple
Followed by Washington D.C. Temple
Official website • News & images
Additional information
Announced August 14, 1967
Groundbreaking September 15, 1969 by
Hugh B. Brown
Open House January 10-29, 1972
Designed by Emil B. Fetzer
Location 2200 Temple Hill Drive
Provo, Utah
United States
Exterior finish White cast stone with gold anodized aluminum grills, bronze glass panels and a painted spire
Temple design Functional modern with single center spire design
Ordinance rooms 6 (Movie, stationary sessions)
Sealing rooms 12
Clothing rental Yes
Cafeteria Full
Visitors' center No
Notes Harold B. Lee read the dedicatory prayer prepared by Joseph Fielding Smith

History

Since Provo's early years, a hill just northeast of downtown Provo was known as "Temple Hill." Instead of a temple, however, the Maeser Building was built on the hill in 1911 as a part of the Brigham Young University (BYU) campus. A 17-acre (69,000 m2) block of property at the base of Rock Canyon was chosen as the site for the Provo Temple.[1]

The LDS Church announced the intention to construct a temple in Provo on August 14, 1967. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on September 15, 1969. The temple was dedicated on February 9, 1972, by church president Joseph Fielding Smith. The two dedicatory services were broadcast to several large auditoriums on the BYU campus, including the 22,700-seat Marriott Center. Thirty-one years after the temple's completion, a statue of the Angel Moroni was added to the spire, which itself was changed from gold to white.[2]

Emil B. Fetzer, the architect for the Ogden and Provo temples, was asked to create a functional design with efficiency, convenience, and reasonable cost as key factors. The design of the temple was inspired by a scripture in Exodus 13:21 which describes the Lord going before the children of Israel by day as a cloud and by night as a pillar of fire. The panels on the sides of the temple feature a gothic arch motif, commonly used in religious architecture. The temple has 6 ordinance rooms and 12 sealing rooms, all surrounded by a circular hallway, and has a total floor area of 128,325 square feet (11,921.8 m2).[3]

In large part because of its location across the street from a Missionary Training Center and proximity to the BYU campus, the Provo Utah Temple is one of the church's busiest. In 2016, the Provo City Center Temple was dedicated, making Provo the second city, following South Jordan, Utah, to have two active temples in the world.[4] The two temples are 2.4 miles apart.[5]

In 2020, like all the church's temples, the Provo Utah Temple was closed for a time in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[6]

In the October 2021 general conference, church president Russell M. Nelson announced the temple would be reconstructed following the dedication of the Orem Utah Temple, which is expected to be completed in Fall 2023.[7][8]

Temple presidents

Notable temple presidents have included: A. Theodore Tuttle (1980–82); J. Elliot Cameron (1989–92); Dean L. Larsen (1998–2001); Merrill J. Bateman (2007–10); Robert H. Daines III (2010–13); and Alan Ashton (2013–2016).[9] As of November 2019, J. Phillip Freestone is the current temple president.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Provo Utah Temple: Four decades of service". Church News. January 28, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  2. Herald, Billy Hesterman-Daily. "The many styles and changes of Angel Moroni on LDS temples". Daily Herald. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  3. "Provo Utah Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  4. Walch, Tad (March 20, 2016), "Elder Oaks dedicates Provo City Center Temple as 150th temple of the LDS Church", Deseret News
  5. Taylor, Scott. "How far apart are these Mormon temples?", Deseret News, 19 October 2017. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  6. 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.
  7. "President Nelson announces 13 new temples during October 2021 general conference". Church News. October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  8. "Groundbreaking for new Orem Temple announced". KSLNewsRadio. June 24, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  9. "New temple presidents", Church News, June 1, 2013
  10. "New temple presidents and matrons called to serve in London, Honduras, South Africa, Panama and other areas around the world". Church News. April 4, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
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