The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released dates for the open houses and dedications of two houses of the Lord in the United States: the Columbus Ohio Temple and the Richmond Virginia Temple.
Columbus Ohio Temple
Columbus-Ohio-Temple
An artist's rendering of the renovated Columbus Ohio Temple. 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.After a media day (April 24, 2023) and a private open house for invited guests (April 25–28, 2023), a public open house will begin Saturday, April 29. From then until Saturday, May 13, 2023 (Sundays excluded), anyone can walk through the temple.
The Columbus Ohio Temple will be rededicated on Sunday, June 4, 2023, in two sessions (10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time). President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve of the Apostles will preside at the rededication. The sessions will be broadcast to all units in the Columbus Ohio Temple district.
Former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley announced the Columbus Ohio Temple in April 1998. It was dedicated in September of the next year. The Columbus Ohio Temple has been closed since March 2020 for extensive renovations. This was the second house of the Lord constructed in the state of Ohio (the other is in Cleveland).
Early Latter-day Saints built the faith’s first temple in Kirtland, Ohio, but were forced to abandon it only two years after its completion. The Community of Christ currently owns and operates the Kirtland Temple.
Today, Ohio is home to more than 63,000 Latter-day Saints in nearly 130 congregations.
Richmond Virginia Temple
Richmond-Virginia-Temple-
An artist's rendering of the Richmond Virginia Temple.2019 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Invited guests will tour the Richmond Virginia Temple from March 21 to March 24, 2023. The public open house will then run from Saturday, March 25, to Saturday, April 15, 2023, except for Sundays and Saturday, April 1 (general conference). Before the open house, a media day will be held on March 20, 2023.
The Richmond Virginia Temple will be dedicated on Sunday, May 7, 2023, in two sessions at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency will preside at the dedication. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all units in the Richmond Virginia Temple district.
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced the Richmond Virginia Temple in April 2018. Ground was broken for its construction in April 2020. This will be the first temple in Virginia, which is home to more than 96,000 Latter-day Saints in over 215 congregations.
Additional details regarding these dedications will be announced at a future date.
Latter-day Saints consider temples the house of the Lord and the most sacred places of worship on earth. Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses (chapels). All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses. The primary purpose of temples is for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ to participate in sacred ceremonies, such as marriages, which unite families forever, and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living.