Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple

The Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple is the 141st temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is the first to be built in Honduras and the sixth in Central America. The Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple serves Latter-day Saints in Honduras and Nicaragua. There are 168,000 Latter-day Saints in Honduras and Nicaragua in 302 congregations.[3]

Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple
Number141
Dedication17 March 2013, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Site13.6 acres (5.5 ha)
Floor area28,254 sq ft (2,624.9 m2)
Height135 ft (41 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Calgary Alberta Temple
Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple		 →
Gilbert Arizona Temple
Additional information
Announced9 June 2006, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Groundbreaking12 September 2009, by Don R. Clarke
Open house9 February – 2 March 2013
Current presidentLuis Ariel Merlo Pineda
LocationComayagüela, Honduras
Geographic coordinates14°3′9.216″N 87°14′15.4716″W
Exterior finishMountain gray granite from China
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms2 (two-stage progressive)
Sealing rooms2
NotesGround was broken in a small ceremony on 12 September 2009 after a new site was selected. Previously ground had been broken on 9 June 2007 by Spencer V. Jones,[1] excavation was halted because of opposition from Tegucigalpa city officials and citizens, who felt the temple would overshadow and block the view of the Catholic Our Lady of Suyapa Basilica on adjacent land. After negotiations failed to resolve the issue, the church announced on Wednesday, 28 January 2009, that out of respect for the city officials and citizens, the church would relocate the temple.[2]
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History

The temple was announced in a letter to local church leaders 9 June 2006; and later in a press release published 24 June 2006.[3] Ceremonial groundbreaking and dedication were held at a site located in eastern Tegucigalpa, near the Basilica de Suyapa, on 9 June 2007,[4] but the church later announced that the temple would be built at a new site.[5]

On 28 January 2009, the LDS Church announced that due to objections from the local government, the proposed temple would no longer be located at the previously designated site. The primary reason for the relocation was due to a belief, widely held by members of the Tegucigalpa city council, that the temple would overshadow the local basilica. The church had all the primary permits secured, but out of respect for the strong feelings of those involved, the church decided to seek a new location.[6][7] The temple was to be built adjacent to an LDS Church Institute of Religion. Excavation had begun before the church ceded to pressure to relocate the building.[8][9] Church officials decided to move the temple in order to avoid confrontation.[10][11][12]

The plans to build a temple in Tegucigalpa were announced by the LDS Church to local church leaders on June 9, 2006.[13] The original groundbreaking and site dedication was on 9 June 2007, by Spencer V. Jones, a member of the church's Second Quorum of the Seventy and president of the church's Central America Area.[5]

On December 11, 2012, the church announced an open house from February 9 through March 2, 2013. The temple was dedicated on March 17, 2013 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the church's First Presidency.[14][15]

In 2020, the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple was closed temporarily during the year in response to the coronavirus pandemic,[16] but is now operational again.[17]

See also

Temples in Central America ()
= Operating
= Under construction
= Announced
= Temporarily Closed

References
  1. Satterfield, Rick, "Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple", LDSChurchTemples.com, retrieved 2012-10-30
  2. Mormones ya no construirán templo en el área de Suyapa (29 January 2009). La Tribuna (an tabloide diario, independiente y pluralista, en la ciudad de Tegucigalpa). Last accessed 28 March 2009.
  3. "New Temple Will Be Built in Honduras". News Story. Newsroom (Report). LDS Church. 24 June 2006. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  4. Betancourth, Ramon (June 23, 2007), "Ground broken in Honduras", Church News, retrieved 2012-10-30
  5. Satterfield, Rick, "Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple", ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org, retrieved 2012-10-30
  6. De Groote, Michael (Feb 9, 2009), Church to seek new site for temple, Mormon Times (Deseret News), retrieved 2012-10-30
  7. Stack, Peggy Fletcher (February 6, 2009), "LDS to find a new site for Honduran temple", The Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved 2012-10-30
  8. Mormones ya no construirán templo en el área de Suyapa (Spanish)
  9. Mormons to build gigantic temple in front of Marian shrine in Honduras, Catholic News Agency, January 30, 2009, retrieved 2012-10-30
  10. No hubo acuerdo con la Iglesia Católica (Spanish)
    This news story contains a letter from Nery Rodriguez, Director of Public Affairs for the LDS Church in Honduras, explaining why the church will not be building at the original site.
  11. Mormons reverse plans to build temple near Marian shrine in Honduras, Catholic News Agency, February 4, 2009, retrieved 2012-10-30
  12. Campbell, Joel (January 31, 2009). "Media distorts story about Honduras Temple". Random observations (Report). Mormon Media Observer. Mormon Times (Deseret News). Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  13. "Temple to be built in Honduras capital", Church News, p. 4, 24 June 2006, retrieved 2012-10-30
  14. "Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple Open House, Dedication Dates Announced", News Release, LDS Church, Newsroom, December 11, 2012, retrieved 2012-12-12.
  15. Walker, Joseph (12 December 2012), "LDS Church sets dates for Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple open house, dedication", Deseret News, retrieved 2012-12-12.
  16. 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.
  17. "Temple Temporary Closures | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
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