The article below was first published February 27, 2020. On June 17, 2020, the Church announced that, because of concern for the effects of COVID-19, the open house, youth devotional, and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple are postponed until large public gatherings are deemed safe.
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The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released information regarding an open house, youth devotional and rededication for the soon-to-be-completed renovation of the Washington D.C. Temple.
The rededication of the temple will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2020, in three sessions. Prior to the rededication, a public open house will be held from September 24 through October 31 (except for September 27, October 3-4, 11, 18 and 25). Additional details will be available at a future date.
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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
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A media day will be held September 15, with private tours taking place September 16 through 23.
“This temple is one of the premier temples of the Church,” said Brent Roberts, managing director of the Church’s Special Projects Department. “The renovation that we're going through right now and that we’ll soon complete will allow the temple to function for many years to come.”
This news was shared Thursday, February 27, at a media event at the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center.
“For decades, millions of people have driven by or passed the Washington D.C. Temple. It has become an iconic part of the D.C. beltway,” said Aaron Sherinian, a longtime resident and volunteer public affairs media specialist for the Church. “This fall, it can become an iconic part of people's lives in a new way. We invite people everywhere to join us inside the temple, to learn more about why it is so much more than a building and to feel the promise of peace it holds. We invite everyone to come and see.”
Renderings showing the planned completion of the temple have also been released.
“The Washington D.C. Temple open house is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come and see for yourself what takes place inside these sacred spaces,” said Anne Golightly, local public affairs director for the Church. “We want everyone to feel welcome. All are invited to feel the peace of this place, to feel the presence of God and to learn more about why and how we as a community seek to follow Jesus Christ.”
The temple closed in March 2018 for a significant renovation. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and lighting systems throughout the 160,000-square-foot structure have been refreshed, in addition to other work done to refurbish and renovate the temple.
Workers plan to finish construction in the summer. Furniture and artwork will be installed before the open house in September.
“The Washington, D.C. area includes many communities of faith, and we are honored to work side by side with the people of these congregations,” said Kisha Sogurno, a member of the Church’s local public affairs committee. “We are grateful for the dialogue of respect and dignity that so many have shown us as the temple renovation has been underway, and we look forward to welcoming congregations from around the region to join us at the open house in a spirit of understanding and goodwill. We have been honored to visit the sacred spaces of other faiths in this region and invite people to come and learn more about ours.”
“The Washington D.C. Temple has become a landmark for many in this area,” added Kent and Kathryn Colton, who respectively served as president and matron of the Washington D.C. Temple from 2014 to 2018. “During the open house this fall they will have the opportunity to go inside and experience the beauty and spirit found there. We want everyone to have an individual experience that will help them feel the love of God. We invite people to make plans now to join us for this unique experience to tour first-hand a place that so many hold dear.”
As part of the rededication festivities, a youth devotional is scheduled for the evening prior to rededication on Saturday, December 12. The rededication and youth devotional will be broadcast to Latter-day Saint meetinghouses within the Washington D.C. Temple district.
The groundbreaking for the Washington D.C. Temple, located in Kensington, Maryland, was December 7, 1968. President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the temple on November 19, 1974. The temple serves Latter-day Saints in Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The temple was opened to the public from September 17 to October 19, 1974, and more than 750,000 visitors toured the building.