The influence, closure, renovation and open house of Washington D.C. Temple

KENSINGTON, Maryland — After a four-and-a-half-year renovation challenge — together with delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic — President Russell M. Nelson will rededicate the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 14.

With its six golden spires reaching heavenward above the Capital Beltway, the Washington D.C. Temple has stood as an iconic landmark on this space for nearly 50 years. Hundreds of thousands have seen the distinguished and commanding edifice, situated simply 10 miles from america Capitol within the District of Columbia. The temple, the Church’s sixteenth in operation and the primary constructed within the Jap United States, closed in 2018 to replace mechanical and electrical techniques, refresh finishes and furnishings, and enhance the grounds.

In honor of the rededication, the Church Information seems again and chronicles the historic occasions related to the renovation and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple.

The 1974 dedication

The Washington Temple, because it was initially known as, was devoted because the Church’s sixteenth working temple by President Spencer W. Kimball on Nov. 19, 1974, in 10 classes.

“We hope the Lord is happy and that He’ll enter right here and make this His abode,” stated President Kimball. “The folks on this space have waited lengthy and longingly for this temple. It has been 144 years because the Church was restored. Now we have now a temple right here, exquisitely stunning, pleasingly adorned, adequately organized, to hold ahead the work of Lord.” 

Many efforts and occasions led as much as the 1974 dedication of the Washington Temple.

As well as, a number of senior Church leaders have a connection to the historic edifice.

Closed for renovation

The First Presidency introduced on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, that two landmark Latter-day Saint Temples would shut for renovations — the Oakland California Temple and the Washington D.C. Temple. Then-President John D. Jackson of the Annapolis Maryland Stake stated the closure would influence the members of his stake and all through the greater-capital metropolis area. “The Washington D.C. Temple has turn out to be such an necessary landmark within the D.C. space — we [are going to] miss it,” he stated on the time.

COVID-19

The open home and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple had been postponed due to the consequences of COVID-19, the Church introduced Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

Quotation

Maryland Secretary of State John C. Wobensmith was working for the Nationwide Safety Company in 1974 when he attended a public open home for the Washington D.C. Temple. Virtually a half-century later he returned to the location, hoping to point out his assist for the newly renovated temple and for Latter-day Saint efforts locally. Taking part in a media occasion within the temple guests’ heart on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Wobensmith offered a quotation signed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in recognition of the renovated temple. The framed quotation honors the “distinctive alternative for folks from around the globe to view this stunning and sacred landmark.”

Renovation

Crews took the temple right down to the studs and put it again to the best way the temple was designed — “mid-century fashionable, solely extra fashionable,” stated Dan Holt, the Church’s challenge supervisor for the Washington D.C. Temple renovation. “There wasn’t an area we didn’t contact, inside or exterior.”

The temple additionally had a profound influence on those that participated within the renovation. An artisan engaged on the temple, Vidal Boyacá positioned the marble for the inside temple molding. As he did, he realized why his work in Latter-day Saint temples needed to be one of the best commonplace he might provide. “I do all the things with care and religion,” he stated. “I belief that God will assist me. I would like it to be finished completely.” Quickly he might see one thing comparable occurring within himself. He was baptized in August 2019.

Public response

With sturdy early response to the Washington D.C. Temple open home, the First Presidency prolonged the open-house interval and rescheduled the temple’s rededication. As a result of practically 50% of the out there parking for the preliminary open home was scheduled within the first two weeks after the announcement of reservations was made, the First Presidency permitted the extension of the open home and rescheduled the rededication to Aug. 14. “Our objective is to ask all to hitch us to expertise the peace, magnificence and connection that may be felt within the temple, and to make sure that all who need to come back have a welcoming, protected and orderly expertise on this sacred place,” the assertion stated.

Open home

As lots of of native and nationwide journalists gathered on the grounds of the Washington D.C. Temple on Monday, April 18, Church leaders launched the primary pictures of the renovated edifice.

Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Gerrit W. Gong, each of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, participated in a media occasion on Monday, April 18. “We hope that what you’ll be taught right now isn’t just about this constructing, the way it was constructed and the way it was renovated,” Elder Bendar instructed the media representatives. “For us, what’s most necessary is how our hearts are modified as we study God and Jesus Christ, really feel their love, and serve our brothers and sisters.”

After main the tour, each Elder Bednar and Elder Gong spoke about temples — and peace. “We’ve had the chance to go to with scores of media folks from everywhere in the world,” Elder Bednar stated. “They’re interested by studying concerning the temple and what we do. So that they’ve been very receptive, and it’s been joyful.” Elder Bednar and Elder Gong additionally praised the efforts of the youth volunteering on the temple open home.

Media

1000’s shared the story of the Washington D.C. Temple open home via social media — collectively inviting hundreds of thousands to #ComeAndSee the #DCTemple. It’s superb what can occur when a medium elevates as an alternative of divides,” stated Aaron Sherinian, director of press and digital media for the open home committee. “It’s a reminder that, at its finest, social media was designed to attach folks and issues that matter.”

Response

As Church leaders provided VIP excursions to invited company, many shared their emotions about getting into the temple. The Church Information recorded a sampling of a few of the issues they stated concerning the temple. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan stated, for instance, he was grateful to take part within the “fantastic celebration of religion, group and fellowship.”

And G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Seventh-day Adventists’ North American Division, stated the temple tour was informative and broadened his understanding of the Church — together with the Church’s concentrate on ancestry.

Op-ed on the temple

Elder Bednar wrote in an op-ed revealed on Medium that hearts are modified by the truths realized in Latter-day Saint temples about God and Jesus Christ — and by guarantees made to like and serve. The op-ed was featured on the web platform as lots of walked via the newly restored Washington D.C. Temple throughout the media and VIP classes of the open home. “We focus much less on what we wish and extra on aligning our will with God’s,” wrote Elder Bednar.

Reverse open home

To arrange for the temple open home, small teams of Latter-day Saints and their pals visited the sacred websites of different faiths, hoping to be taught and foster interreligious relationships. The visits had been a part of the Reverse Open Home Sequence, headed by Diana Brown, a Latter-day Saint and Georgetown College’s assistant director for interreligious engagement. Beginning in November 2021, the Reverse Open Home Sequence took small teams to sacred locations all through the D.C. space for dialogues and numerous occasions — from touring a Catholic basilica to learning the Torah at an orthodox Jewish synagogue, and from sharing a meal with a Sikh congregation to ending a quick with the Bahá’í group.

Digital tour

On Might 24, the Church launched a digital tour of the Washington D.C. Temple, providing 360-degree views inside and out of doors of the sacred constructing. Posted on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the YouTube video contains the welcome desk, walkway bridge, dressing rooms, baptistry, bride’s room, a sealing room, stair instances, initiatory space, an endowment room and the celestial room.

Unique preview/temple lighting

Because the Church ready for the open home of the Washington D.C. Temple, Elder Bednar and Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave Ed O’Keefe of CBS Information an unique preview of the renovated edifice. The interview, which additionally included Sister Susan Bednar and Sister Kathy Christofferson, aired on Easter on the community’s “Sunday Morning” program on April 17. 

Crews filming O’Keefe’s tour of the temple didn’t want synthetic lighting “as a result of the lighting within the temple appears to permeate all the things,” stated Elder Bednar. “And one of many technicians simply held up his hand, and he stated, ‘Look, there’s no shadow wherever.’”

Nationwide Press Membership

Chatting with 135 media representatives on Thursday, Might 26, Elder Bednar talked concerning the renovated temple and addressed “a Latter-day Work.”

The essential function of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to assist folks be taught concerning the nature and attributes of God — to like God, to turn out to be disciples of His Son Jesus Christ and to like and serve God’s kids, he stated on the Nationwide Press Membership.

“We consider God can change our hearts and make extra of us from the within out than we are able to ever make of ourselves,” stated Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “And we additionally consider that change many occasions is required from the skin in.” 

Learn extra protection of the Washington D.C. Temple