New Temple in St. George
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced in October of 2018 that they would be building a second Temple in Washington County, but had not yet decided on a location. Today, November 6th 2019, in a Church Newsroom article, the site for the new Temple in St. George was announced. The new Temple will be built on 3000 East 1580 South, St. George, Utah. The Temple will be three-stories in height and approximately 88,000 square feet.
Second Temple in Washington County
This will be the second Temple in Washington County, Utah. The St. George, Utah Temple was closed on November 4 for extensive renovations and will not be reopening until 2022. The new temple in St. George is still in the plans, which means as of now there is no groundbreaking date or completion date.
LDS Church in St. George
It’s no surprise that the LDS Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is the largest religious organization in St. George. It’s projected that over 70% of the population of St. George belongs to the church. St. George was founded and settled by Mormon pioneers sent by (then) President Brigham Young in the late 1800’s. The first Temple in St. George was the third completed Temple in the church, it is also the oldest operating Temple in the church. Members of the LDS Church are excited to have a second Temple in St. George, especially with the recent growth and projected growth in population. The closest operating Temples are in Cedar City, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Temple Dedication
As of this time there is no date for groundbreaking, completion and likewise dedication. When a Temple is dedicated, church leaders come and offer a special dedicatory prayer for the building. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe Temples to be the “house of the Lord” and special places of worship. Before the Temple dedication ceremonies will be a cultural celebration and open house, where all visitors are welcomed to tour the Temple.
Where is the new Temple in St. George?
To explain it in simple terms, the new temple will be built in the Washington Fields/Little Valley area, east of downtown St. George. Find it here on Google Maps.