Groundbreaking Held for Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple

Ground has been broken in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Elder Randall K. Bennett of the Quorum of the Seventy presided at the groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, August 21, 2021.

“Brothers and sisters, I know you will make this temple, and more importantly Jesus Christ, the center of your lives,” said Elder Bennett. “Thank you for your examples of faith and diligence, hope [and] love.”

The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple was announced in April 2020 by Church President Russell M. Nelson.

The single-story temple of approximately 32,000 square feet is being built on a 5.8-acre site located at 2093 Powell Road in Pennsylvania’s Cranberry Township.

“I pray that this will be the first temple district full of members, or among the first, where attendance will be virtually standing room only,” said Elder Bennett. “So this temple is filled with faithful Latter-day Saints serving their ancestors, serving one another.”

Several local Latter-day Saints shared testimonies during the groundbreaking ceremony, including Elder T. Michael Price, an Area Seventy. He said, “In temples, and elsewhere, we receive ordinances and make covenants with God that change our very nature and bless our lives.”

“Having this temple here in Pittsburgh reminds me of His love for all of us. I know this temple will be a great blessing to many people, and I am excited for the opportunity that it will give others to hopefully gain the same peace and reassurance that I’ve been able to have,” said Sister Brenda Miller of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania North Stake.

In a dedicatory prayer, Elder Bennett offered thanks to the Lord for “[His] love and for the atoning sacrifice of [His] beloved son, our Savior Jesus Christ.”

“Please let today’s groundbreaking also be a day of emotional and spiritual building in our own lives and families, said Elder Bennett. “Please bless us and our families with a refreshed commitment and enthusiasm for fully living thy gospel.”

Attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony was by invitation only, while those who reside in the temple district were able to watch a broadcast. Newsroom will add the full broadcast as soon as available.

Pennsylvania is home to more than 52,000 Latter-day Saints in more than 105 congregations. The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple will be the state’s second temple, following the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, which was dedicated in September 2016.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Each temple is considered a “house of the Lord” where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.