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ST. GEORGE — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ temple in St. George closed Monday as the building undergoes renovations that are expected to keep the building closed until 2022.
Church officials announced in May that the temple, which was completed in 1877, would undergo "extensive structural, mechanical, electrical, finish and plumbing work" over the course of a few years. A church spokesman confirmed the timeline was still on schedule, which included the temple closing Monday.
The temple was last remodeled in 1975. Its closure is a part of the church’s plan to renovate Pioneer era” temples that Latter-day Saint President Russell M. Nelson announced in 2018. The Salt Lake Temple is also set to close for extensive renovations on Dec. 29 and isn’t set to reopen until 2024.
The St. George Temple also draws in members in parts of Nevada and Arizona. While it is closed, the closest option for church members who regularly visit are in Cedar City, which is about 50 miles northeast of St. George, or Las Vegas, Nevada, which is about 120 miles southwest.
On the same day he announced the pioneer-era temple renovations, President Nelson also announced a second temple would be opened in Washington County in the future. The exact location has yet to be announced.
