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Red Cliffs Utah Temple

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Coordinates: 37°04′56″N 113°31′11″W / 37.0823°N 113.5196°W / 37.0823; -113.5196
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Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Map
Number189
Dedication24 March 2024, by Henry B. Eyring
Site15.31 acres (6.20 ha)
Floor area96,277 sq ft (8,944.4 m2)
Height230[4] ft (70 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Orem Utah Temple
Red Cliffs Utah Temple 		→
Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Additional information
Announced7 October 2018, by Russell M. Nelson[1][2]
Groundbreaking7 November 2020, by Jeffrey R. Holland[3]
Open house30 January-2 March 2024
LocationSt. George, Utah, United States
Geographic coordinates37°04′56″N 113°31′11″W / 37.0823°N 113.5196°W / 37.0823; -113.5196
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms4
Sealing rooms6
Clothing rentalNo
Visitors' centerNo
(edit)
A landscape picture of the Red Cliffs temple, with a large field leading to the temple. Mountains can be seen in the distance along with rolling clouds.
Red Cliffs Utah Temple at a distance

The Red Cliffs Utah Temple, originally announced as the Washington County Utah Temple, is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah. The intent to construct the temple was announced in October 2018 by church president Russell M. Nelson. It is the second temple in Washington County, with the St. George Utah Temple being the first, and the fourth in southern Utah.[5]

The temple is approximately 96,000 square feet and contain three stories.[6][7] The construction is a significant development in a region where church members form a substantial part of the population. Temples differ from regular meetinghouses and church members consider them sacred where ordinances like marriages and proxy baptisms are performed.[8] A public open house was held from February 1 to March 2, 2024, with the dedication, led by Henry B. Eyring, of the church's First Presidency, on March 24, 2024.[9]

History

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The intent to build the temple was announced by Nelson on October 7, 2018, during the church's general conference.[10][11] The temple was originally announced as the Washington County Utah Temple.[12][13] The location for the temple was announced in November 2019.[14] A groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 7, 2020, with Jeffrey R. Holland, a native of St. George, and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presiding.[15][16][17] Attendance was limited to 70 people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19] The groundbreaking was two days before the 149th anniversary of the St. George Temple's groundbreaking, and was held the same day as the Bentonville Arkansas Temple's groundbreaking.[5]

Located on a 14-acre site at the northeast corner of 3000 East and 1580 South, the temple is the second in St. George and the 20th completed in Utah. The sunken and swampy land was the last area to be settled by pioneers.[20] The site was originally the location of a family farm through the 1800s and most of the 1900s. The site is in the Washington Fields area of St. George,[21] and originally had the name "Charmin' Acres." The family sold the land to the church in the 1960s with the original intent that it would remain farmland. The land now contains three stake centers, a chapel, and the temple.[20]

In May 2022, a statue of the angel Moroni, a feature of many Latter-day Saint temples, was installed.[22] Initially announced as the Washington County Utah Temple, it was renamed the Red Cliffs Utah Temple on June 19, 2020. The name came from Holland and his wife, Patricia T. Holland, who had been asked by the First Presidency for suggestions. The idea for the name came after driving past the red cliffs of Petticoat Mountain. Holland stated that his wife "looked toward Pine Valley and said, ‘Well, there are sure a lot of red cliffs around here.’ We thought that had kind of a ring to it.” The suggestion was submitted to the First Presidency, who approved the temple's name.[20][5]

The temple represents an expansion of the church's presence and membership growth in the region, and a continuation of its historical and cultural legacy in St. George.[23] Craig C. Christensen, while serving as president of the church's Utah Area, said that the growth in the area has been "magnificent," and that "when the St. George temple was open and working, people couldn't get in," which justified this (and possibly other) temples.[20] In the dedicatory prayer offered at the groundbreaking, Holland noted the Red Cliffs Temple was "a sister temple [to the St. George Temple] to serve the growth in this region".[24]

Architecture

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Site

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A rendering of the temple was released in April 2020, with a plan to make interior renderings public at a later date.[23] The temple has an area of about 96,277 square feet (8,944.4 m2), and sits on a site of 15.12 acres.[25] The temple was built on a sunken field in a swamp, amid sandstone buttes and mesas.[20] Due to a high water table, the foundation used would be unable to support the temple,[5] so workers moved more than 30,000 cubic yards of red dirt from the foundation of the St. George Temple to stabilize the foundation of the Red Cliffs Temple.[5] Garden elements on site include palm trees, along with green, yellow, and purple bushes. Waterfalls and three reflecting pools are on the temple's north side.[5]

A closeup landscape of Red Cliffs temple with art glass windows and a palladian window. Above the window it carries the inscription- "HOLINESS TO THE LORD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD."
Closeup of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple

Exterior

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The temple is a three-story building, and has many rectangular windows on the front, along with a large arched window in the middle.[5] A multi-tiered spire tops the building and includes a statue of the angel Moroni, along with windows that are rounded on the upper portion.[5][22][26][27] Outside motifs of the temple represent grand cottonwood trees and other geological features of the area, like canyons and mountains.[5]

Interior

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The building has one baptistry, which is used for baptisms for the dead. The temple has four ordinance rooms, used for the endowment ceremony, and six sealing rooms. The temple's architecture serves functional and ceremonial purposes, while also being a symbol of faith for church members in the region.[28] Visual themes inside the building feature local plants like dwarf bearclaw poppy (an endangered species), leaves from the cottonwood tree, succulents, pomegranates, and indian paintbrush.[5][29]

Admittance

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On October 16, 2023, the church announced that a public open house would be held from February 1 to March 2, 2024 (excluding Sundays).[30] The temple is scheduled to be dedicated by Henry B. Eyring on March 24, 2024.[30] Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services.[31] To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship.[31]

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  • Red Cliffs Utah temple with scaffolding
    The temple under construction
  • The temple at night
    The temple at night
  • Art glass of the Red Cliffs Utah temple
    Art glass of the temple
  • The spire of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple dominates the view of a portrait shot. A multilevel spire has rounded windows on the sides, along with a golden statue at the top of the angel Moroni, against a backdrop of a blue sky.
    Spire of the temple
  • A landscape picture of the Red Cliffs Utah temple, with a sign saying it belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Palm trees are seen on the side leading to the center.
    The temple from a distance

See also

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Temples in Utah (edit)
Wasatch Front Temples
Temples along the Wasatch Front (edit)
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
(edit)

References

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  1. ^ "Twelve Temples Announced as October 2018 General Conference Closes: Number of temples operating, announced or under construction now above 200", Newsroom, LDS Church, 7 October 2018
  2. ^ LDS Church announces plans to build 12 new temples worldwide, pioneer generation temples will be renovated, KSTU Fox 13, 7 October 2018
  3. ^ https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/groundbreaking-held-for-red-cliffs-utah-temple
  4. ^ https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/1/29/24053935/red-cliffs-utah-temple-st-george-interior-images-media-day
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Red Cliffs Utah Temple | Church News Almanac". Almanac. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  6. ^ "Open House Commences for Red Cliffs Utah Temple: Sacred structure is the second house of the Lord in St. George". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  7. ^ "Church Announces Groundbreakings for Two Utah Temples". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  8. ^ "Latter-day Saint church calls local couple to serve as Red Cliffs Temple president, matron". Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  9. ^ President Eyring Dedicates Red Cliffs Utah Temple, Newsroom, chhurchofjesuschrist.org, 24 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  10. ^ Kessler, Mori (14 August 2020). "Groundbreaking for Red Cliffs Utah Temple in St. George set for November". St. George News. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  11. ^ Bancroft, Kaitlyn (19 March 2022). "Washington County Utah Temple re-named Red Cliffs Utah Temple". The Spectrum. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  12. ^ "First Presidency approves official name of Washington County temple as Red Cliffs Utah Temple". Church News. 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  13. ^ Temples changing names is not a new occurrence, temples will usually be announced for a specific geographic region, and the renaming will typically happen before a groundbreaking ceremony.
  14. ^ "Washington County Utah Temple Site Announced". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  15. ^ Kessler, Mori (7 October 2021). "Red Cliffs Utah Temple takes shape as construction continues". KSL. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  16. ^ Forgie, Adam (13 August 2020). "Two Utah LDS temples to break ground this fall, renderings released". KUTV. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  17. ^ Tabine, Sarah (7 November 2021). "Ground broken for a second Latter-day Saint temple in St. George". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  18. ^ "'A happy and holy day': Ground broken for Red Cliffs Utah temple". The Spectrum. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  19. ^ Kessler, Mori. "'A blessing on this property': Latter-day Saints break ground for Red Cliffs Utah Temple". stgeorgeutah.com. St George News. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d e "At Red Cliffs Utah Temple groundbreaking, Elder Holland calls temples the 'sweet and soothing answer to our problems'". Deseret News. 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  21. ^ "Newly renamed Red Cliffs Temple honors St. George landmark". Deseret News. 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  22. ^ a b Teare, Ammon (25 May 2022). "'An angel from on high:' Red Cliffs Temple receives a heavenly addition". St. George News. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Renderings Released for Three Temples in the Western United States". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  24. ^ Red Cliff's Utah Temple- The Dedicatory Prayer (PDF). p. 2.
  25. ^ "Red Cliffs Utah Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  26. ^ "Angel Moroni THE FACTS ABOUT THE ICONIC TEMPLE SYMBOL". issuu. Daily Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  27. ^ "Moroni: Messenger of the Restoration". history.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  28. ^ "Red Cliffs Utah Temple takes shape as construction continues". Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  29. ^ "See inside Utah's newest LDS temple, one that highlights an endangered species". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  30. ^ a b "Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple: Groundbreaking date released for the Kaohsiung Taiwan Temple", Newsroom, LDS Church, 16 October 2023
  31. ^ a b "Of Chapels and Temples: Explaining Latter-day Saint Worship Services". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2007-11-15. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
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