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SALT LAKE CITY — On Thursday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to partially reopen temples.
Select temples in Utah, Idaho, Germany and Sweden will reopen Monday for limited sealings for couples who have previously been endowed, representing the first Latter-day Saint gatherings in the temples following shutdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Eleven temples in Utah will reopen as part of the first phase of making the 168 temples worldwide fully operational again.
- Bountiful Utah Temple
- Brigham City Utah Temple
- Cedar City Utah Temple
- Logan Utah Temple
- Manti Utah Temple
- Monticello Utah Temple
- Ogden Utah Temple
- Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple
- Payson Utah Temple
- Provo City Center Temple
- Provo Utah Temple
The first phase of the plan will also allow the Boise Idaho Temple, Idaho Falls Idaho Temple and Twin Falls Idaho, as well as the Frankfurt Germany Temple, Freiburg Germany Temple and Stockholm Sweden Temple to open. The church said that some temples in Utah and Idaho are undergoing annual maintenance and will reopen once that’s completed.
In all, 17 temples will reopen next week. Other temples will be reopened by the Temple Department based on local government guidelines.
Sealings will take place Monday through Saturday by appointment only and will initially be limited to one sealing ceremony or family at a time in the temple. The church said all government and public health directives will be observed, which includes verifying the couple lives within the approved geographic area for receiving ordinances in a specific temple.
“These sealings will be conducted with a minimum number of temple staff, and a limited number of participants, according to local government restrictions,” a letter from The First Presidency of the church read.
After an appropriate amount of time, the church will move into the second phase, which will allow the temples to reopen to all living ordinances. Patron housing, clothing and cafeteria operations, though, will remain closed.
The church's third phase will open the temple up for all ordinances but with limitations. Proxy ordinances for ancestors will begin in a restricted manner. Patron housing, clothing and cafeteria operations will open as needed. The final phase is when the church will open its temples to full operation.
“We look forward to the day that we can resume full operation of our temples, congregations and missionary service,” the First Presidency said.
The first temple closure due to the pandemic came in February when the church closed the Taipei Taiwan Temple, and closures of temples in Taiwan and Japan soon followed. Outbreaks in Italy and Washington state led to the closures of temples in Rome and Seattle in early March.
By March 23, the church had temporarily suspended operations at over 100 temples, and then two days later said the church would close all remaining temples "after careful and prayerful consideration, and with a desire to be responsible global citizens.”
Thursday's news comes a day after Utah state officials announced churches were allowed to resume operations as long as they still observe social distancing, which would include a 6-foot space between participants.
“We are grateful for the helpful direction that government health and civic leaders have provided to keep us safe,” Church President Russell M. Nelson said in a video posted on Wednesday. “And we will continue to be prayerful and proceed with an abundance of caution. Your safety and well being will always be our utmost concern.”
