Auckland New Zealand Temple Wiki

The city of Auckland was announced as the home of New Zealand’s second temple on 7 October 2018, by President Russell M. Nelson during the 188th semi-annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The country’s first temple, the Hamilton New Zealand Temple (1958) had recently closed for an extensive, multi-year renovation project. The Auckland New Zealand Temple was announced in the 60th anniversary year of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, the same year it closed for a multi-year renovation..

The Auckland New Zealand Temple will be the second temple built in New Zealand, following the Hamilton New Zealand Temple (1958).

New Zealand Temples at Time of Announcement

Announced

• –

Under Construction

• –

Dedicated

• Hamilton New Zealand [1958]

On March 12, 2020, an official exterior rendering of the Auckland New Zealand Temple was released.^[4]“Auckland New Zealand Temple Groundbreaking Date Announced.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 12 Mar. 2020.

Elder Ian S. Ardern, president of the Pacific Area, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Auckland New Zealand Temple on Saturday, June 13, 2020. Attendance at the temple site was by invitation. ^[5]“Auckland New Zealand Temple Groundbreaking Date Announced.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 12 Mar. 2020.

“This is an historic day as we dedicate the ground for the Auckland New Zealand Temple,” said Elder Arden. He added, “The temple will be a beautiful, bright light in the city of Auckland, inviting all to come unto Christ.” All three members of the Area Presidency and their wives were in attendance along with leaders from civic, religious, and community organizations including Mayor Phil Goff. In his remarks, Mayor Goff celebrated the diversity of faiths and cultures in New Zealand stating, “We are free to worship as we choose. Together, we must defeat prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry. We stand together against these things.” Groundbreaking Co-Chair, Ngatai Smith, emphasized that the temple will be “a place of beauty, holiness, peace, and tranquility. Most importantly, it will be a place where people will come to hear God speaking to them, words of comfort and gentle guidance.”^[6]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Church and Community Leaders Break Ground to Officially Commence Auckland Temple Construction,” 13 Jun. 2020.

A media event was held on Monday, February 24, followed by two days of tours for invited guests. The public was invited to tour the temple from Thursday, February 27, through Saturday, March 22, 2025 (excluding Sundays).

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Auckland New Zealand Temple on April 13, 2025, the the start of Holy Week and Sunday before Easter.

“To shout hosanna to God and the Lamb on Palm Sunday is a singular experience,” Elder Kearon said. He called the Palm Sunday dedication “the experience of a lifetime” and an “immaculate demonstration of our love for our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ.” He added: “Everything about this holy house points us to our Heavenly Father and our Savior. Everything here is to help us look beyond ourselves and come to a deeper understanding of our life’s purpose.”

This sacred setting of the temple is where Latter-day Saints can perform saving ordinances for those they love and those they will one day meet, said Elder Kearon. “This is the place where you can leave your mortal cares behind, rise above your earthly troubles and perfectly contextualize your daily experiences within the great plan of happiness. Here you may come to know the higher ways of the Lord and receive His higher joy.”

Elder Kearon was accompanied at the dedicatory services by his wife, Sister Jennifer Kearon. They were joined by Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy and then executive director of the Church’s Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan; and Elder Peter M. Meurs, a General Authority Seventy and Pacific Area president, and his wife, Sister Maxine Meurs.

The temple is located on Redoubt Road in Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a towering landmark along the Auckland Southern Motorway. The temple will is 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Auckland City, between the New Zealand Missionary Training Center on the south and the Auckland New Zealand Redoubt Stake Center on the north.

The Church-owned complex is adjacent to St Johns Redoubt (1863)—a historic fort that was used to guard against the threat of attack during the Waikato War and to protect the supply line to the Waikato along the Great South Road. The historic reserve is a legally protected heritage site.

Site

Landscaping across the 11.4-acre site features 250 large trees, including native kōwhai, nīkau palms and pōhutukawa trees. Two of the latter were transplanted from a site in central Auckland, where they would have been cut down. The grounds also include shrub gardens, seasonally rotated flowers and lawns.

The temple is steel and concrete framed.

Cladding

Granite cladding covers the temple exterior

Windows

The windows were designed in conjunction with Holdman Studios and fabricated and installed by Timeless Art Glass. The glass’s colors and designs are inspired by New Zealand flora, including kōwhai flowers and ferns. Colors are blue, green, and yellow, with some clear, utilizing textured glass for a translucent effect.

Spandrel panel

Powder coated aluminum decorative panels with simple lines create a spandrel panel between the windows of the first and second floors.

Transom panel

Powder coated aluminum decorative panels with simple lines and ornate patterns create a transom panel above the second floor windows.

The 2-story building of approximately 45,455 square feet features design motifs that include New Zealand flora — kōwhai flower, pōhutukawa tree, manuka tree, kauri tree and silver fern — as well as the blue and green colors of the pāua shell, with accents of gold. Designs also feature Māori basket weave patterns.

Flooring provides visual ties to New Zealand, with green quartzite stone reminiscent of New Zealand jade (pounamu) and the white calacatta caldia marble calling to mind the word “Aotearoa,” the Indigenous Māori name for New Zealand, meaning “land of the long white clouds.”

Art-glass designs reflect the same New Zealand flora, along with blue, green, yellow and clear textured glass. Also, the millwork and doors feature Tasmanian oak, a native Australian eucalyptus wood.

General Materials

Nylon broadloom carpet was used throughout most of the building, with nylon tiles for instruction, worker and dressing areas.

Rugs in the temple are made of one hundred percent New Zealand wool.

Calacatta Calidia marble was used for floor tiles with green quartzite borders and skirtings.

Fixtures made of crystal and brass are throughout the temple.

Eucalyptus (Tasmanian oak) veneers and solids make up the trim.

DOORS are made of Solid eucalyptus (Tasmanian oak) hardwood doors with brass hardware. The doors are designed with integrated art glass panels or reeded timber panels.

Green paint by Resene is predominant throughout.

Vinyl wall coverings are used throughout the building except the celestial and sealing rooms, which have a decorative stencil wall pattern inspired by local art deco stylization and local flora.

Ceilings are constructed of gypsum board throughout except in some of the working spaces, which feature suspended grid acoustic ceilings. Special finishes to ordinance rooms include decorative paint and gold leaf inspired by art deco stylization and local flora.

“Kaumatua in Prayer” by New Zealand artist Dave Sotogi, “Te Piha” by Utah artist David Dibble and “Peace Be Still” by Utah artist Bryan Taylor were created for this temple.

Entry

The baptistry is at the Back end, center, below the Celestial Room.

Baptismal font railings are made of Stainless steel, brass and glass.

The initiatory spaces in the Auckland New Zealand Temple are in a dedicated combined space. They are near the dressing rooms, and share a combined waiting area, but are not attached to the dressing rooms.

There are 4 instruction rooms in the Auckland temple. The two on the outside walls have slightly more capacity than the inner Rooms.

The Celestial room is on the upper story, East end Center.

The Sealing Rooms of the temple area on the second floor, West end.

The brrides room is ont he Second floor, attached to the Women’s Dressing Rooms.