Description

The Panama City Panama Temple is the 127th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Located in Cárdenas, a suburb of Panama City, it is the first church temple in Panama.[2] The temple is located on a hill adjacent to the Church’s Cárdenas Ward meetinghouse and can visibly be seen by travelers from the canal and across the country.[5] The Panama City Panama Temple serves Latter-day Saints in all of Panama. There are 39,000 Latter-day Saints in Panama in seven stakes and eight mission districts.[5]

History

2000

During a conference held in December 2000, President Gordon B. Hinckley told over 4,500 members of Panama that “the [Mormon] Church would find a way to build a Temple there if they faithfully paid their tithing and kept the other commandments,” President Hinckley understood and expressed his concern that the cost of a temple would far exceed the members tithing contributions, but “promised them that the Lord would bless them through the exercise of their faith to obey the [tithing] law.”^[1]Church News, Sep 2002

Announcement

The plans to build a temple in Panama City were announced by the LDS Church on August 23, 2002.[3][4]

Groundbreaking

Ground was broken and the site was dedicated on October 30, 2005, by Spencer V. Jones, a member of the church’s Second Quorum of the Seventy and the president of the church’s Central America Area.[5] Hurricane Beta lingered over the coasts of Panama and Costa Rica the day before the groundbreaking, but by the next day it had moved north leaving a beautiful sky enjoyed by those in attendance.

Open House

The open house for the temple began on the July 11 and ended on July 26, 2008.[6][7]

Cultural Celebration

Prior to the dedication, a cultural celebration was held including performances by Panamanian youth members of the church.[1][2]

Dedication

The temple’s dedication was held on August 10, 2008 in four sessions.

Dedicatory Prayer

Dedication Order

 

 

Presidents

President Name and referece	timeframe

Details

Exterior

Cladding

Windows

Symbolism

Inscriptions

Cornerstone

Spires and Moroni

Spire

Moroni

On May 4, 2007, a statue of the angel Moroni was added to the temple’s spire.[2]

Sculptor
Version
Placed
Faces
Height
Feet
Meters

Compass and picture

Individuals and Contractors

Manager
Also Did
Contractor
Also Did
Manager
responsability

Sources and Links