Harare Zimbabwe Temple Wiki

Church President Thomas S. Monson announced the Harare Zimbabwe Temple on 3 April 2016, at the Sunday morning session of the 186th Annual General Conference. The Temple was one of four announced. The other temples will be built in Quito, Ecuador; Belém, Brazil; and a second temple in Lima, Peru.^[1]Monson, By President Thomas S. Choices. 2 Apr. 2016, www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng.

On October 1, 2020, an official exterior rendering of the Harare Zimbabwe Temple was released to the public, featuring a 17,250-square-foot temple with a spire rising over the main entrance. Church facilities will stand on either side of the temple.

The groundbreaking of the Harare Zimbabwe Temple was presided over by Elder Edward Dube, first counselor in the Africa South Area presidency and a Zimbabwe native, on Dec. 12, 2020. His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, was also in attendance and spoke to the congregation.

In his remarks to those in attendance, Elder Dube said, “The Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be a beautiful and stunning building. Like every temple, it will stand not only as a manifestation of the faith of Latter-day Saints who live close by in this country and the neighboring countries of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, but also a manifestation of the faith of Saints all around the world.”^[2]”Groundbreaking Held for the Zimbabwe Harare Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 12 Dec. 2020.

Over 27,770 people toured the house of the Lord during the open house, which ran from January 22 through February 7, 2026.^[4]“Elder Gerrit W. Gong Dedicates the Harare Zimbabwe Temple.” news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org, 1 Mar. 2026, news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-gerrit-w–gong-dedicates-the-harare-zimbabwe-temple.

The Harare Zimbabwe Temple was dedicated March 1, 2026, by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Joining the Elder Gong for the dedication weekend was his wife, Sister Susan Gong, as well as two General Authority Seventies and their wives — Elder Steven R. Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Susan Bangerter; and Elder Denelson Silva, first counselor in the Church’s Africa South Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Regina Silva.

With the coming of the house of the Lord in Harare and other new temples around the globe, the Lord is inviting Latter-day Saints to create “a new gospel temple culture,” said Elder Gong, mindful especially of those who previously had to travel long distances to worship in the temple. “Instead of going to the temple once in our life, or once a year on a temple trip, we can plan and come ourselves to the Lord in the house of the Lord more often,” he said.^[5]Taylor, Scott. “Elder Gong Dedicates First House of the Lord in Zimbabwe.” Church News, 2 Mar. 2026, www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2026/03/01/harare-zimbabwe-temple-dedication-elder-gerrit-w-gong.

The temple will be built on a 6.7-acre site in the Highlands area of Harare.

The Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be constructed on the site of the stake center for the Harare Zimbabwe Stake on Enterprise Road in the Highlands neighborhood of Harare. President Russell M. Nelson toured the site while visiting Harare on April 17, 2018, as part of his world ministry.

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