San José Costa Rica Temple
Encyclopedia
The San José Costa Rica Temple is the 87th operating temple
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The First Presidency
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) made an announcement on March 17, 1999 that a temple would be built in San José
, Costa Rica
. The announcement of the San José Costa Rica Temple made it the first temple in Costa Rica
and the second temple in Central America
.
The Church is relatively new in Costa Rica. A U.S. ambassador who was Mormon ran the first LDS Church meetings from his home during the years of 1943 through 1946. The first Mormon missionaries
did not arrive until just before Costa Rica's 1948 Civil War
. By 1974 membership in the Church had grown enough that Costa Rica became its own mission. In 1960 there had only been 214 members in Costa Rica, by 1970 there were 1,700 members. In 1977 the first stake was created in Costa Rica. In 1992 Boyd K. Packer
, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, dedicated the land of Costa Rica for missionary work and membership grew even faster. Today there are 23,000 members in Costa Rica. Before the building of the temple in Costa Rica, members had to travel to the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
. The trip was expensive, costing many families twice their monthly income.
On April 24, 1999 a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held. Lynn G. Robbins, a member of the Seventy and first counselor in the Presidency of the Central America Area, presided at the ceremony. Construction began soon after the groundbreaking and progress was quick to reach a deadline of finishing the temple in one year. The deadline was met and the temple was dedicated in June only fourteen months after the announcement to build the temple.
The temple was open for tours May 20–27, 2000. The temple plot is 1.93 acres (7,810.4 m²). The exterior finish of the temple is made of Blanco Guardiano white marble
from the northern Mexican
city of Torreón
. More than 20,000 people attended the open house and toured the temple. James E. Faust
, a member of the First Presidency, dedicated the San José Costa Rica Temple for use on June 4, 2000. The San José Temple serves over 35,000 Mormon members in twelve stakes and fourteen districts.
The San José Costa Rica Temple has a total of 10700 square feet (994.1 m²), two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) made an announcement on March 17, 1999 that a temple would be built in San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The announcement of the San José Costa Rica Temple made it the first temple in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and the second temple in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
The Church is relatively new in Costa Rica. A U.S. ambassador who was Mormon ran the first LDS Church meetings from his home during the years of 1943 through 1946. The first Mormon missionaries
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
did not arrive until just before Costa Rica's 1948 Civil War
Costa Rican Civil War
The Costa Rican Civil War was the bloodiest event in 20th century Costa Rican history. It lasted for 44 days , during which approximately 2,000 people are believed to have died...
. By 1974 membership in the Church had grown enough that Costa Rica became its own mission. In 1960 there had only been 214 members in Costa Rica, by 1970 there were 1,700 members. In 1977 the first stake was created in Costa Rica. In 1992 Boyd K. Packer
Boyd K. Packer
Boyd Kenneth Packer is an American educator and religious leader, and the current president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He served as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve from 1994 to 2008, and has been an apostle and member of...
, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, dedicated the land of Costa Rica for missionary work and membership grew even faster. Today there are 23,000 members in Costa Rica. Before the building of the temple in Costa Rica, members had to travel to the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
The Guatemala City Guatemala Temple is the 34th constructed and 32nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Guatemala City, capital city of Guatemala, it was built with a modern six-spire design. In 1956, while Harold B...
. The trip was expensive, costing many families twice their monthly income.
On April 24, 1999 a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held. Lynn G. Robbins, a member of the Seventy and first counselor in the Presidency of the Central America Area, presided at the ceremony. Construction began soon after the groundbreaking and progress was quick to reach a deadline of finishing the temple in one year. The deadline was met and the temple was dedicated in June only fourteen months after the announcement to build the temple.
The temple was open for tours May 20–27, 2000. The temple plot is 1.93 acres (7,810.4 m²). The exterior finish of the temple is made of Blanco Guardiano white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
from the northern Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
city of Torreón
Torreón
Torreón is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. As of 2010, the city's population was 608,836 with 639,629 in the municipality. The metropolitan population, including Matamoros, Coahuila, and Gómez Palacio and Lerdo in adjacent Durango,...
. More than 20,000 people attended the open house and toured the temple. James E. Faust
James E. Faust
James Esdras Faust was an American religious leader, lawyer, and politician. Faust was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 until his death, an LDS Church apostle for 29 years, and a general authority of the church for 35...
, a member of the First Presidency, dedicated the San José Costa Rica Temple for use on June 4, 2000. The San José Temple serves over 35,000 Mormon members in twelve stakes and fourteen districts.
The San José Costa Rica Temple has a total of 10700 square feet (994.1 m²), two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
See also
- List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
- Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsComparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsBelow is a chronological list of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with sortable columns. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth...
- Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)