The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a public open house prior to the dedication of the Cebu City Philippines Temple.
The public will be invited to visit the temple beginning on Friday, 21 May 2010, and continuing through Saturday, 5 June 2010, excluding Sundays.
After the open house, the temple will be formally dedicated on Sunday, 13 June 2010. Three dedicatory sessions will be held to accommodate Latter-day Saints in the area served by the temple.
In conjunction with the temple dedication, there will also be a cultural celebration of music and dance. This event is scheduled for Saturday, 12 June 2010 at the Cebu Coliseum.
Formal temple work will commence at the Cebu City Philippines Temple on Monday, 14 June 2010.
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and strengthen their commitment to follow and serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man.
The Cebu City Philippines Temple was first announced on 18 April 2006. It will be the 133rd operating temple in the world, and the second in the Philippines.
Speaking to the entire Church in October, President Thomas S. Monson said: “We continue to build temples. We desire that as many members as possible have an opportunity to attend the temple without having to travel inordinate distances. Worldwide, 83 percent of our members live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple. That percentage will continue to increase as we construct new temples around the world.”