News Release

Groundbreakings Announced for Temples in Pennsylvania and Kenya

The second temple in Pennsylvania and the first in Kenya

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced groundbreaking dates for the Nairobi Kenya Temple and the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple. The Nairobi Kenya Temple was announced in April 2017 by Church President Thomas S. Monson, and the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple was announced in April 2020 by Church President Russell M. Nelson.

Nairobi-Kenya-RenderingDownload Photo

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Nairobi Kenya Temple will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Elder Joseph W. Sitati, Africa Central Area president, will preside at the event. The location will be announced later.

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Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania-Temple
An artist's rendering of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple. 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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The groundbreaking ceremony for the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021. Presiding at the event will be Elder Randall K. Bennett, North America Northeast Area president. The temple will be built on a 5.8-acre site located at 2093 Powell Road in Cranberry Township. The single-story structure will be about 32,000 square feet.

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Attendance at both groundbreaking ceremonies will be by invitation only.

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.

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