Wooden Angel

The Wooden Angel

Throughout the world various cultures have built up traditions around construction in regards to the completion of various stages of construction. One tradition has already been mentioned in this book in regards to the tradition of wearing wooden shoes when construction reaches its highest point in the Netherlands.

Depending on the location, it can be customary to top the highest point with a tree (often a Christmas tree) or to fly local or national flags.

In the United states, when the last piece of steel is placed on a steel frame building, it is common to paint it white and allow workers and architects to sign the beam.^[1]“Topping Out.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2020.

At the Concepcion Chile Temple, completion of the structural steel, as well as most of the exterior, brought the placement of a unique temporary Moroni.

Someone on the site cut two outlines of the statue into pieces of plywood, then spray painted it gold. The two figures were arranged on either side of a metal pole that was then lifted up into the socket that the statue itself would eventually go into.^[2]“Concepción Chile Temple Photograph Gallery.” Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.