Provo Utah Temple

The Provo Utah Temple (formerly the Provo Temple) is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) 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.[1] The temple was designed by architect Emil B. Fetzer and was dedicated in 1972 as the church's seventeenth constructed and fifteenth operating temple.[2] 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.[3] In 2021, the church announced plans to reconstruct the temple with a new design after the dedication of the Orem Utah Temple.[4]

Provo Temple
Provo Utah Temple
Provo Temple
Provo Utah Temple

Provo Utah Temple
Number15
DedicationFebruary 9, 1972, by Joseph Fielding Smith
Site17 acres (6.9 ha)
Floor area128,325 sq ft (11,921.8 m2)
Height175 ft (53 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Ogden Utah Temple
Provo Utah Temple		 →
Washington D.C. Temple
Additional information
AnnouncedAugust 14, 1967, by David O. McKay
GroundbreakingSeptember 15, 1969, by Hugh B. Brown
Open houseJanuary 10-29, 1972
Designed byEmil B. Fetzer
LocationProvo, Utah, United States
Geographic coordinates40°15′49.19760″N 111°38′23.20440″W
Exterior finishWhite cast stone with gold anodized aluminum grills, bronze glass panels and a painted spire
Temple designFunctional modern with single center spire design
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms6 (Movie, stationary)
Sealing rooms12
Clothing rentalYes
NotesHarold B. Lee read the dedicatory prayer prepared by Joseph Fielding Smith
()

Purpose

The temple is where members go to make sacred promises, or covenants, and perform ordinances for themselves or in behalf of their deceased ancestors.[1] These ordinances include baptism and confirmation, washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing. While the grounds are open to everyone, only church members who hold a current temple recommend enter the temple to participate in the ordinances.[5]

In large part because of its location across the street from a Missionary Training Center and proximity to BYU, 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 in the world, following South Jordan, Utah, to have two active temples.[6] The two temples are 2.4 miles apart.[7]

As of 2022, the temple serves stakes from the cities of Provo, Orem, Vineyard, Midway and Heber City.[8]

Architecture

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.[3] 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.[3] 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).[2]

Temple construction and dedication

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 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.[2][9]

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.[10]

Notable events

In the spring of 1983, major flooding in the region threatened the temple.[11] On May 29, 1983, the city, with help from volunteers, turned Temple View Drive into a temporary river.[11][12]

In 2020, like all the church's temples, the temple was closed for a time in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[13] It was reopened May 11, 2020 for limited use, and then completely reopened June 14, 2021.[14]

A temple-to-temple run is held annually between the Provo Utah Temple and the Provo City Center Temple.[15]

Reconstruction

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.[16][17] The new design will not reflect the modernist plans of the original building, despite some opposition from community members.[3][4] The new designs are similar to other contemporary temples including the Orem Utah Temple and the Deseret Peak Utah Temple.[4][8]

Temple presidents

Notable temple presidents include:

See also
Temples in Utah ()
Wasatch Front Temples
Temples along the Wasatch Front ()
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
()

References
  1. "Why Latter-day Saints Build Temples: A Commandment with Blessings". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  2. "The Provo Utah Temple is now 50 years old. Learn more about its history and future". Church News. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  3. "David Amott: LDS Church should spare the historic Provo Temple". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  4. Richael, Allie (February 18, 2022). "Provo temple reaches 50-year anniversary with plans for reconstruction". The Daily Universe. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  5. "Provo Utah Temple". www.go-utah.com. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  6. Walch, Tad (March 20, 2016), "Elder Oaks dedicates Provo City Center Temple as 150th temple of the LDS Church", Deseret News
  7. Taylor, Scott. "How far apart are these Mormon temples?", Deseret News, 19 October 2017. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  8. "First look: Provo Latter-day Saint temple will have dramatic new design". Deseret News. November 24, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  9. "Provo Utah Temple: Four decades of service". Church News. January 28, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  10. Herald, Billy Hesterman-Daily. "The many styles and changes of Angel Moroni on LDS temples". Daily Herald. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  11. "The Daily Herald from Provo, Utah on May 30, 1983 · 34". Newspapers.com. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  12. "History of Flooding in the Canyon « Rock Canyon Provo, Utah". www.rockcanyonutah.com. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  13. 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.
  14. "Temple reopening status tracker — through June 24". Church News. June 24, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  15. "Thousands Set to Run 'Temple to Temple' in Provo". ABC4 Utah. July 21, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  16. "President Nelson announces 13 new temples during October 2021 general conference". Church News. October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  17. "Groundbreaking for new Orem Temple announced". KSLNewsRadio. June 24, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  18. "New temple presidents", Church News, June 1, 2013
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