Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing – Church News

Editors note: This is the final article of a three-part series on temple milestones during 2023. Part 1 looked at announcement of new temples and site locations; Part 2 dealt with dedications and rededications.

In 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added 35 new temple locations announced by President Russell M. Nelson in the April and October general conferences the most ever for the second straight year, following President Nelsons announcement of 35 new locations in 2022.

Also in 2023, the Churchs 11 temple dedications were the most in a calendar year in more than 20 years.

By comparison, the eight temple groundbreakings conducted by the Church in 2023 were the fewest in five years, following 16 in 2022, 12 in 2021 and 21 in 2020, the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when construction was considered critical trade and essential work and didnt fall under lockdowns, extreme social distancing or other pandemic restrictions.

In fact, the eight groundbreakings this year are the fewest since 2018, where the Church had just one.

An aerial view of the site of the future Kaohsiung Taiwan Temple on Nov. 25, 2023, the day of its groundbreaking services.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

But before hands start wringing that low number of groundbreakings may suggest a drop in building of new temples, look at the breakdown of the Churchs total 335 temples and see how many are already under construction, how many have sites released and are awaiting the next milestone of groundbreaking, and how many temples are announced and in planning but still without sites.

The breakdown by status of those 335 temples, as of the end of 2023, is:

The 186 dedicated temples include one renovated temple scheduled for rededication, four temples under renovation and four more temples scheduled to begin renovations in 2024.

Elder Peter F. Meurs and Sister Maxine Meurs (back row, left) with leaders, youth and young adults who walked the Kokoda Trail from Popondetta to Port Moresby (about 96 kilometers over mountains) to attend the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple groundbreaking on April 22, 2023. The group completed the challenging walk in four days.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Groundbreaking services were held for the following eight temples in 2023, including two on the same day:

Shovels stand ready at sunrise on the day of the groundbreaking services for the Quertaro Mexico Temple on Jan. 7, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

One groundbreaking for a new house of the Lord has already been scheduled for next year the Knoxville Tennessee Temple on Jan. 27, 2024.

As of the end of December 2023, the Church has 47 temples under construction, not including the six that already have been announced for dedication in 2024. Listed by chronological order of groundbreaking dates, the 47 are:

The Auckland New Zealand Temple, under construction in late November 2023.

Provided by Lindsey T. Dil

The Syracuse Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is under construction in Syracuse on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Besides temples under construction, the Church of Jesus Christ has five previously dedicated and operating temples under extensive renovation, with three more houses of the Lord scheduled to close and begin renovations in 2024.

The Manti Utah Temple, which has been under renovation since October 2021 is scheduled for rededication on April 21, 2024.

Renovation work continues on the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday, April 28, 2023.

Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Listed chronologically by month of closure date, the five temples currently under renovation are:

Rendering of the reconstructed Provo Utah Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

And the three additional temples scheduled for renovations, with their closures announced during the past year, are:

Artists rendering of the renovated Manhattan New York Temple. The temple will close in 2024 for extensive renovations.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The rest is here:
Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing - Church News