San Antonio Texas Temple Wiki
Quick Facts
ANNOUNCED
24 June 2001
ANNOUNCED BY
First Presidency
GROUNDBREAKING
29 March 2003
GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Elder H. Bruce Stucki
DEDICATED
22 May 2005
DEDICATED BY
President Gordon B. Hinckley
DEDICATION ORDER
120
LOCATION
0080 Stone Oak Pkwy
San Antonio, Texas 78258-6920
United States
PHONE
(+1) 210-538-0034
Description
History
Announcement
President Hinckley announced the Church’s plan to build a temple in San Antonio during a special member meeting held Sunday, 24 June 2001.[1]”San Antonio temple site is announced.” Deseret News 31 August 2002, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,405027693,00.html.
Until the San Antonio Texas Temple was completed, Latter-day Saints in the area travelled 200 miles (320 km) to reach the nearest temple, near Houston.
Texas Temples at the time of Announcement
Announced
- –
Under Construction
Dedicated
- Houston Texas [2000]
- Dallas Texas [1984]
ANNOUNCED ORDER
124
| Date | 3001 08 31 |
| By | Gordon B. Hinckley |
| Role | President |
| Via | Regional Meeting |
⮜Preceded by Newport Beach California
Followed by Manhattan New York⮞
Location Announcement
2 November 2002, the First Presidency announced the location for the San Antonio Texas Temple as Stone Oak Parkway at Hardy Oak Boulevard in northern San Antonio. Several acres in size, the site overlooks a collection of cliffs that presents a dramatic view of the surrounding terrain. The temple will be approximately 15,000 square feet and similar in design to the recently dedicated temple in Lubbock.[2]”San Antonio temple site is announced.” Deseret News 31 August 2002, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,405027693,00.html.
Render Released
The date the render for the San Antonio Temple was released has yet to be determined, but may have happened around the groundbreaking.
Groundbreaking Announced
text
Groundbreaking
Ground was broken for the temple on 29 March 2003. Elder H. Bruce Stucki of the Seventy and first counselor in the North America Southwest Area presided over the ceremony. The Ceremony was attended by 450 members.[3][“San Antonio Texas Temple”. Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2025, https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/3/12/23228662/san-antonio-texas-temple/.
GROUNDBREAKING ORDER
122
| Date | 2003 03 29 |
| By | H. Bruce Stucki |
| Role | Seventy |
| Attendees | 450 |
⮜Preceded by Helsinki Finland
Followed by Newport Beach California⮞
At the San Antonio Texas Temple construction site, the first item of business was to build access to the lot by extending Hardy Oak Boulevard to its intersection with Stone Oak Parkway.
2003
April 2003 sees bulldozers and dump trucks dominating the scene, digging dirt and hauling rock to the temple site. Extraction for the foundation will follow road construction.
As of July 25, 2003, construction trailers have been moved on site in preparation for excavation for the foundation. The extension of Hardy Oak Boulevard to Stone Oak Parkway will be completed in about two weeks. A construction parking lot has been added on the west side of Hardy Oak in front of the first trailer. Crepe Myrtle is in bloom in the Stone Oak median, sprinkling color around the drab dirt and great piles of rock dominating the temple lot on the east side of Hardy Oak.
As of Friday, August 29, 2003, the excavation area has been marked off in preparation for the temple foundation. Land was cleared including the removal of some trees, though trees that could be preserved were. The extension of Hardy Oak Boulevard to Stone Oak Parkway is finished.
On October 20, 2003, the San Antonio Board of Adjustment heard the Church’s request for a variance to allow a 6-foot-10-inch fence to border the temple property along Stoneoak Parkway and Hardy Oak Boulevard
As of November 2003, footings for the foundation are set in place for the San Antonio Texas Temple. Large equipment delivered cement to the pier holes, reinforced by frames of rebar.
2004
As of April 2004, the majority of the exterior walls of the San Antonio Texas Temple are now in place. In addition, work is progressing steadily on the base of the single spire, which will support a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni.
Finial
On September 21, 2004, a 13-foot, gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni was placed atop the temple, coinciding with the 181st anniversary of the first appearance of Moroni to Joseph Smith.[4]”Angel tops Mormon temple,” MySA.com 22 Sept. 2004, 23 Sept. 2004, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA092204.2B.roundup.a7437ca4.htm
Dedication announced
On 4 December 2004, The First Presidency announced the open house and Dedication dates for the San Antonio Temple. The First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication dates for the San Antonio Texas Temple. The public open house is scheduled to be held from Saturday, April 16, 2005, to Saturday, May 7, 2005, (except for Sundays, April 17, April 24, and May 1). Instructions on how to reserve free tickets for the open house will be posted later when the Church announces its reservation system. The temple is scheduled to be dedicated in four sessions on Sunday, May 22, 2005. The evening before, a cultural celebration will be held in the Alamodome.[5]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for San Antonio Temple,” 4 Dec. 2004.
Open House
An open house was held from April 16 to May 7, 2005. A total of 69,679 people attended, and roughly 2,700 of that were on just the first day. President Gordon B. Hinckley noted that about 500 people who had toured the temple had requested missionary lessons afterward.
Visitors includedmissionaries of San Antonio-based Evidence Ministries. Church representatives gave a tour to these missionaries, who stood on the streets every day of the open house distributing thousands of copies of an eight-page tabloid to passing motorists. Despite Ministries’ claims that the Church misrepresents its differences with traditional Christianity, the Church interacted peacefully with Ministries’ missionaries, even giving them use of its meetinghouse bathrooms.[6]J. Michael Parker, “Mormon temple draws evangelical critics,” MySA.com 7 May 2005, 22 May 2005, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050705.3B.mormon_temple.24bcd504f.html
| Start Date | 2005 04 16 |
| End Date | 2005 05 07 |
| Days | 15 |
| Attendees | 69,679 |
| Per day | 4,645 |
Cultural Celebration
The evening before the temple dedication, 20,000 people filled the Alamodome for a cultural celebration, featuring fireworks, horses, and over 4,000 singers and dancers. The various presentations reflected on Texas history, patriotism, the importance of family values, and the story of the Mormon faith. In promoting the celebration, producer Gary Bradley noted, “It’ll make people proud, and some parts of it will make people cry.” Two hours before the musical celebration began, President Gordon B. Hinckley delighted the audience with a speech focused on the temple.[7]J. Michael Parker, “Mormon leader visiting S.A. for weekend events,” MySA.com 20 May 2005, 22 May 2005, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA052005.1B.temple_events.28f9c0b33.html.
Dedication
President Hinckley presided over the dedication of the temple on 22 May 2005. In his dedicatory prayer the Prophet invoked God’s blessings “upon the citizens of [the San Antonio] community and state” and prayed that He would “bless this nation of which we are all a part.”
DEDICATION ORDER
120
| Date | 2005 05 22 |
| By | Gordon B. Hinckley |
| Role | President |
| Sessions | 4 |
| Attendees | # |
⮜Preceded by Manhattan New York
Followed by Aba Nigeria⮞
Construction Duration
| Span | Duration |
|---|---|
| Announced to Groundbreaking | 1 y, 9 m, 5 d |
| Groundbreaking to Dedication | 2 y, 1 m, 24 d |
| Announced to Dedication | 3 y, 10 m, 28 d |
Dedicatory Order
GLOBAL
#
REGION
region
#
COUNTRY
country
#
STATE
state
#
COUNTY
county
#
CITY
city
#
Summary
quick numbers on dedication order
Detail
Groundbreaking Announced
- text
- text
Announced
- text
- text
Dedication Announced
- text
- text
Under Construction
- text
- text
Rededication Announced
- text
- text
Under Renovation
- text
- text
Renovation Scheduled
- text
- text
In 2020, like all others in the church, the San Antonio Texas Temple was closed for a time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Presidents and Matrons
| Temple President | Temple Matron | Years Served |
|---|---|---|
| Rodney James Larsen | Diane Bernice Bywater Larsen | 2023–2023 |
| Randall F Baum | Robin Havard Baum | 2020–2023 |
| Terry Jackson Orgill | La Dell Irene Crouch Orgill | 2017–2020 |
| Larry Dale Sprouse | Joyce Cheryl Olsen Sprouse | 2014–2017 |
| Kim Burton Beckstead | Ginger Ann Adams Beckstead | 2011–2014 |
| Marion Darryl Woods | Anne Rees Woods | 2008–2011 |
| Alfred Ray Otte | Sonya Shipman Otte | 2005–2008 |
Details
The temple’s architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of San Antonio and its spiritual significance to the church.[8]”San Antonio Texas Temple”. Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2025, https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/3/12/23228662/san-antonio-texas-temple/.
The temple is on a 5.5-acre plot, and its landscaping has walkways, shrubs, trees, and water features.[2]
The structure stands 115 feet tall and is constructed with granite.[9]”San Antonio Texas Temple”. Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2025, https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/3/12/23228662/san-antonio-texas-temple/. The exterior uses art glass windows designed by Tom Holdman, who has designed many art-glass windows for the church’s temples. In addition to glass, its windows use agate, fossilized red coral, and carbuncle.[11]
The temple’s interior “is beautifully furnished with African Cherrywood, stained glass windows, paintings of Christ’s life, and a mural by San Antonio artist Keith Bond. The use of color in the stained glass windows, in a slightly muted southwest style, and the indigo and star motif inside the central spire sets this edifice apart from most other temples.”[1 The temple includes two instruction rooms, two sealing rooms, and a baptistry. The instruction rooms are decorated with murals, and the celestial room has art-glass windows depicting the tree of life.
The design has elements representing Latter-day Saint symbolism to provide deeper spiritual meaning to its appearance and function. Symbolism is important to church members and include the art-glass tree of life in the temple’s celestial room.[2] The tree of life is a common church symbol, and represents eternal life and the love of God.[13]
Location
The temple is on a 5.5-acre site.
The site is located in northern San Antonio on a highly visible hill. Several acres in size, the lot overlooks a collection of cliffs that presents a dramatic view of the surrounding terrain
Landscaping around the temple includes shrubbery, trees, a water feature and walkways. These elements are designed to invoke “the rugged beauty of South Texas.”[10]“A temple on a hill”. Church News. May 28, 2005. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
Site
Exterior
The structure stands 115 feet tall and is constructed with structural concrete and steel.
Cladding
The exterior is clad in granite.
Windows
The exterior uses art glass windows designed by Tom Holdman, who has designed many art-glass windows for the church’s temples. In addition to glass, its windows use agate, fossilized red coral, and carbuncle.[11]”The Couple Behind Windows in 80 Temples + Miracles Creating Stained Glass for Rome, Texas, and More”. LDS Living. January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2025, https://www.ldsliving.com/the-couple-behind-windows-in-80-temples-miracles-creating-stained-glass-for-rome-texas-and-more/s/90065.
Exterior Finish
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Architectural Features
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| Feet | Meters | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | # | # |
| To Shoulder | # | # |
| Width | # | # |
| Length | # | # |
| Footprint | # | # |
Symbolism
Inscription
Location
text
text
| Order | |
| Location | |
| Language | |
| Type | |
| Color | |
| Setting | |
| Font | |
| Glyph | |
| Church Name | |
| Temple Name | |
| Dates |
Cornerstone
text
text
| Location | |
| Faces | |
| Material | |
| Set | |
| Edge | |
| Type | |
| Finish | |
| Language |
Spires and Finial
Spires
text
Spire Details
| Spires | # |
| Location | # |
| Finish | # |
| Type | dome, steeple, tower, spire |
| shape | # |
| Tower shape |
Finial
text
Events
| Sculptor: | Karl Quilter |
| Commissioned: | 1978 |
| Completed: | 1985 |
| Material: | Fiberglass |
| Height: | 10 ft (3.2 m) |
| Weight: | ~400 lbs (136.1 kg) |
| Currently On: | 51 temples |
| Finish: | |
| Placed: | |
| Faces: |
Interior
and is 16,800 square feet
The temple’s interior is beautifully furnished with African Cherrywood, stained glass windows, paintings of Christ’s life, and a mural by San Antonio artist Keith Bond.
Entry
text
| Area | 32,240 f2 (2,995.19 m2) |
| Floors above grade | |
| Floors below Grade | |
| Baptistries | |
| Initiatories | |
| Endowment Rooms | |
| Sealing Rooms |
Baptistry
text
| Baptistries: | |
| Location: | |
| Exterior Windows: | |
| Artwork: | |
| Artwork Type: | |
| Oxen: | |
| Type: | |
| Hoof: | |
| Color: | |
| Layout: | |
| Font Exterior: | |
| Interior: | |
| Shape: | |
| Bowl Shape: | |
| Pillar: | |
| Stairs: | |
| Font Well: |
Initiatory Spaces
text
| Style | detached, attached, combined |
| Type | stationary, progressive |
| Rooms | # |
Instruction Rooms
text
| Rooms | # |
| Type | # |
| Capacity | # |
| Murals | y/n |
| Total Muraled Rooms | # |
| Mural Type |
Celestial Room
The celestial room features a floor to ceiling art glass pieces depicting the tree of life (as found in the Book of Mormon)
Sealing Room
text-images
| Sealing Rooms | |
| Largest Capacity |
Contractors
Architect
Designed by Rehler, Vaughn & Koone,
text
Projects by Architect
Project Manager
[without additional version]
text
General Contractor
text
Other Contractor
contractor and position
Region
TEMPLES IN TEXAS by county
| Bexar | 1 | San Antonio |
| Collin | 1 | Fairview |
| Dallas | 1 | Dallas |
| El Paso | 1 | El Paso |
| Harris | 2 | Houston · Houston South |
| Hildalgo | 1 | McAllen |
| Lubbock | 1 | Lubbock |
| Tarrant | 1 | Fort Worth |
| Travis | 1 | Austin |
Total: 10
TEMPLES IN UNITED STATES by state
Total: 158
TEMPLES IN NORTH AMERICA by country
Total: 209
Sources and Citations
References
| ↑1, ↑2 | ”San Antonio temple site is announced.” Deseret News 31 August 2002, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,405027693,00.html. |
|---|---|
| ↑3 | [“San Antonio Texas Temple”. Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2025, https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/3/12/23228662/san-antonio-texas-temple/. |
| ↑4 | ”Angel tops Mormon temple,” MySA.com 22 Sept. 2004, 23 Sept. 2004, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA092204.2B.roundup.a7437ca4.htm |
| ↑5 | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for San Antonio Temple,” 4 Dec. 2004. |
| ↑6 | J. Michael Parker, “Mormon temple draws evangelical critics,” MySA.com 7 May 2005, 22 May 2005, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050705.3B.mormon_temple.24bcd504f.html |
| ↑7 | J. Michael Parker, “Mormon leader visiting S.A. for weekend events,” MySA.com 20 May 2005, 22 May 2005, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA052005.1B.temple_events.28f9c0b33.html. |
| ↑8, ↑9 | ”San Antonio Texas Temple”. Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2025, https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/3/12/23228662/san-antonio-texas-temple/. |
| ↑10 | “A temple on a hill”. Church News. May 28, 2005. Retrieved January 18, 2025. |
| ↑11 | ”The Couple Behind Windows in 80 Temples + Miracles Creating Stained Glass for Rome, Texas, and More”. LDS Living. January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2025, https://www.ldsliving.com/the-couple-behind-windows-in-80-temples-miracles-creating-stained-glass-for-rome-texas-and-more/s/90065. |
Last updated on: 15 December 2025