The Caracas Venezuela Temple is the 96th operating
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church).
History
In 1995, LDS Church president
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008) was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from March 1995 until his death in January 200 ...
announced plans to construct an LDS temple in
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
. Immediately following that announcement, a search was conducted to find a suitable site on which to build. Several properties were considered over the next eighteen months but none was chosen. It was finally decided the temple would be built in the city of
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
on land that the church already owned. The groundbreaking of the Caracas Venezuela Temple took place in 1999.
Unexpected obstacles occurred during the construction of the temple. When digging the foundation, excavators discovered an underground spring. When the water was diverted, the excavation continued. However, the digging caused two major landslides. The first landslide did not cause any damage, but the second did. Eight tons of earth and materials were shifted in the slide. Despite these setbacks, the work was completed in just over a year and a half.
When Hinckley dedicated the temple on August 20, 2000, nearly six thousand members of the LDS Church were in attendance. The Caracas Venezuela Temple has a total of , two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
In 2020, the Caracas Venezuela Temple was closed temporarily during the year in response to the
coronavirus pandemic.
[Stack, Peggy Fletcher]
"All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus"
''The Salt Lake Tribune
''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871."
History
...
'', 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
See also
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Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
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Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)
On December 27, 1832, two years after the organization of the Church of Christ, the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, stated he received a revelation that called upon church members to restore the practice of temple worship. The Latter Day Saints ...
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela
References
Additional reading
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External links
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Official Caracas Venezuela Temple pageCaracas Venezuela Temple pageThe Caracas D. F. Venezuela Templea brief history from announcement to dedication by Erin Howarth
{{Caracas landmarks
20th-century Latter Day Saint temples
Buildings and structures in Caracas
Temples (LDS Church) completed in 2000
Temples (LDS Church) in Latin America
Temples (LDS Church) in South America
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela
2000 establishments in Venezuela
Temples in Venezuela