Rome Italy Temple Wiki

Quick Facts

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Description

History

The growth of the Church in Italy has not been without its opposition. Just three years after the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, the first missionaries arrived in Genoa, Italy, on 25 June 1850, including Elder Lorenzo Snow, who would become the fifth president of the Church. Over the next three years, 221 people were baptized and organized into three branches. But most proselytizing in Italy stopped in the early 1860s in the face of local opposition and because of a request from Church leaders for Italian members to migrate to Utah. An attempt to reopen missionary work in Italy in 1900 was refused by the government.

The Church was finally reestablished in Italy in 1951, following the conversion of Vincenzo di Francesca, who happened to discover a charred copy of the Book of Mormon in a garbage bin. The cover and title page was missing, and it took him years to find out the identity of the book and achieve baptism into the Church. Italians who had joined the Church in other countries began to return to Italy during this period. They attended Church with Latter-day Saint servicemen stationed in Italy in various branches. By the end of 1964, Church records showed 229 members in Italy. That same year, Elder Ezra Taft Benson, an apostle who would become the 13th president of the Church, petitioned the government for permission to resume missionary work. Permission was granted, the mission was re-opened, and missionaries began to proselyte on 27 January 1965. By 1978, membership had grown to over 7,000 and increased to 14,000 by 1990. As of December 2024, there are over 28,000 members organized into 10 stakes.^[1]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Church Continues Temple Building Throughout the World,” 4 Oct. 2008.

Although missionary work had been allowed in Italy since 1964, the Church began in 2000 the lengthy process of seeking a concordat with the government that would grant it state-sponsored status. This status was granted to the Roman Catholic Church in a concordat signed by Mussolini—a relationship that was perpetuated into Italy’s post-fascist constitution. Since 1984, however, the Catholic Church has had to share this level of government recognition with other religions operating in Italy. Approved churches become concordates, which receive tax funds and other rights from the government similar to those received by the Catholic Church.^[2]Peggy Fletcher Stack, “LDS Church Wants to Be Official in Italy,” The Salt Lake Tribune 9 Sept. 2000: A1. In April 2007, Prime Minister Prodi gave his signature of approval, and now it awaits Parliament ratification.

Announcement

2009 Lobbying

With legal recognition still stalled in Parliament in late 2009, the Church took the step of hiring a Washington, D.C., lobbyist to help push through the approval. A. Elizabeth Jones, a former high-level State Department employee and ambassador to Kazakhstan, who is now an executive vice president at APCO Worldwide, is lobbying the U.S. embassy in Italy to support the Church’s application. The intesa—an Italian term referring to an “understanding” with the government—would carry certain privileges including facilitating the authorization of bishops to perform civilly recognized marriages and making the renewal of visas for missionaries easier.^[5]Carrie Levine, “For Italian Job, Mormons Ask a D.C. Insider for Help,” The National Law Journal 6 Oct. 2009, 29 Oct. 2009, http://www.law.com/jsp/law/international/LawArticleIntl.jsp?id=1202434304372.

2010 May 13 Intesa

On May 13, 2010, the Italian Cabinet, or Council of Ministers, approved an intesa with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, granting the Church Italy’s highest status given to religions. This action elevates the legal recognition of the Church from charitable foundation to official religion. Just a few more formalities remain before the intesa becomes law.^[6]”Il Consiglio dei Ministri ha approvato l’intesa della Chiesa di Gesù Cristo,” Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni 13 May 2010, 27 May 2010, http://www.chiesadigesucristo.it/news-e-media/visualizza-articolo/archive/2010/may/article/il-consiglio-dei-ministri-ha-approvato-lintesa-della-chiesa-di-gesu-cristo.html.

Location Announcement

Three days after the announcement, on 7 October 2010, The Church gave more details about the locations of the five new temples announced by President Thomas S. Monson at the Church’s general conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday.^[7]“New Temple Site Locations Announced.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 7 Oct. 2008, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/new-temple-site-locations-announced.

In Rome, the temple will occupy part of a 15-acre Church-owned site near the ring road skirting the northeast section of Rome.

2008 Archeological Survey

In preparation for the construction, and as part of the permit process, all potential building sites in Rome must undergo a search for ancient Roman ruins by digging trenches every 10 to 15 feet apart across the entire property. Following the search for ruins on the temple property, it was announced that none were found, and construction would be permitted. Just 100 yards beyond the Church property, an entire Roman Village was unearthed.^[8]”Rome Italy Temple News,” Online posting, 9 Nov. 2008, http://acerson.com/temple.html, retrieved 7 December 2009

The action of the Council of Ministers culminated on July 30, 2012, when the president of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, signed the intesa into law, making the Church a “partner of the state.” Maurizio Ventura, president of the Pisa congregation, said, “The intesa is a fulfillment of a long-awaited blessing.” The new legal status—the highest status granted to religions in Italy—gives the Church greater freedom to do more good. John Zackrison, director of the International Coordinating Committee of the Church, explained the benefits: “It will eliminate current barriers that frequently interfere with our Church leaders performing marriages and otherwise ministering, it will smooth the process for obtaining visas for missionaries and mission presidents, and it will grant unquestioned freedom for the Church to perform any functions or activities deemed essential to its worldwide mission,” as well as grant Latter-day Saint clergy the ability to visit members and those in need with automatic access to state hospitals, prisons and military barracks. Perhaps most rewarding for Italian members is the recognition of the Church as a legitimate Christian faith. Ventura explained that the long process was a “time of work, a time of prayers, a time of preparation and finally a time of full recognition.”^[9]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Mormons in Italy Rejoice, Church Granted Country’s ‘Official’ Status,” 3 Aug. 2012.

Groundbreaking Announced

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Groundbreaking

Render Released

Construction Status

2014 September

On September 7, 2014, members of the Rome Italy East Stake dedicated their fast to the construction progress of the Rome Italy Temple and to the workers’ ability to build to the exacting standards required by the Church. Little has changed on the exterior since January, but work continues slowly on the interior. A large amount of work has been accomplished on the temple grounds including walkways made of travertine pavers quarried in Italy. Construction continues simultaneously on a stake center, visitors’ center, and patron arrival and housing center. A beautiful stand of Italian stone pines leading to the temple decorate the construction site. A grove of olive trees that once stood on site were transplanted into crates for preservation and then reintegrated into the landscaping.

On September 18, 2014, the Deputy Mayor of Rome, Luigi Nieri, toured the construction site of the Rome Italy Temple. He praised the Church for the work being accomplished and promised to return for the open house, which has not yet been announced.

2015 January

During much of 2014, delays were experienced that significantly slowed construction of the buildings. In an official statement issued January 29, 2015, a Church spokesman stated: “In recent months, progress on the Rome Italy Temple slowed due to contractor difficulties not related to this project. Those challenges have been addressed, and work will soon resume at a normal pace. No dates have been announced for completion. We are grateful that our members have extended their faith and prayers and sought heaven’s help in seeing this important project through to completion.”

No specifics about what the delays were consisted of have been released, with even Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé only describing them as “obstacles of every kind.”^[12]Caussé, Gérald. “‘Trust in the Lord’s Plan’ by Gerald Causse | BYU-Pathway.” BYU-Pathway, 24 Mar. 2023, www.byupathway.edu/speech/trust-in-the-lords-plan. Reports from locals to the website ldschurchtemples.org made claims of subpar materials, and substandard work.

While no details come from official sources, Reviews of historic imagery from Google Earth show crates of stone sitting on the site, nearly unmoving, from early 2014 to early 2018. Additionally the foundations of 3 of the 4 buildings, which had been buried sometime in 2012 or 2013, were suddenly re-excavated in mid 2015, with landscaping features being undone and removed immediately around the buildings, before being reburied and the features back in place in mid 2016.

2016 May

As of May 2016, interior work is progressing at the Rome Italy Temple under the new general contractor. For much of the past two years, construction advancements have been limited, and work has been focused largely on replacing subpar materials and redoing work to bring the temple to the standard contracted by the Church.

Finial

On March 25, 2017, construction of the Rome Italy Temple reached an important milestone with the installation of the angel Moroni atop the eastern spire. The event marked the steady progression of construction experienced under the new general contractor.^[13]“Angel Moroni Statue Tops Rome Temple.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 25 Mar. 2017, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/angel-moroni-statue-tops-rome-temple.

2017 July

In July 2017, the on-site construction office trailers were donated to community organizations, and office space was relocated to the patron housing facility.

Open House Announced

On 29 March 2018 The public is invited to tour the first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy. Church leaders announced the Rome Italy Temple will be open for a free public open house from Monday, January 28, 2019, to Saturday, February 16, 2019, excluding Sundays.^[14]“Public Invited to Tour Rome Italy Temple.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 29 Mar. 2018, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/public-invited-to-tour-rome-italy-temple.

Dedication Announced

on 8 March 2018 it was announced that the Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, would dedicate the Rome Temple, and for the first time ever outside of the United States, all of the twelve and the First Presidency would also be in attendance.^[15]“Prophet to Dedicate Rome Italy Temple.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 8 Mar. 2019, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/prophet-dedicate-rome-italy-temple.

Open House

Youth Devotional

Youth in the Rome Italy Temple District were invited to a devotional broadcast 9 March 2019 as part of the events surrounding the dedication. The stake center on Rome Temple Square was filled to capacity with Saints standing along all the walls as the youth and their families gathered to hear the words of the prophet. Though President Russell M. Nelson, Sister Wendy W. Nelson, and President M. Russell Ballard were the main speakers, the youth also looked up to the stand and saw seated Elder and Sister Holland, Elder and Sister Uchtdorf, Elder and Sister Rasband, Elder and Sister Renlund, and Elder and Sister Soares.^[16]Hutchins, Michaela Proctor. “President Nelson to the Youth in Rome: 5 Things to Know and 5 Things to Do – Meridian Magazine.” Meridian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2019, latterdaysaintmag.com/president-nelson-to-the-youth-in-rome-5-things-to-know-and-5-things-to-do.

Dedication

Dedicatory Order

Firsts

• The dedication of the Rome Italy Temple marked the first time that the entire First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gathered to one location outside the United States.

Presidents and Matrons

Temple President	Temple Matron	Years Served
Daniele Lui	Settimia Lucia Petarra	2024–
James Albert Toronto	Diane Gillett Toronto	2022–2024
Craig Neil Pacini	Julie Anne Metcalfe Pacini	2019–2022

Details

Location

InSite Design Group of Utah, USA, used native plants throughout the temple grounds. The Roman pines located on the site were preserved from existing vegetation, as were 32 of the original olive trees, which were relocated to various areas on the grounds. They are thought to be up to 150 years old. The four main olive trees planted in the piazza, though not original to the site, were purchased in northern Italy and range in age from 400 to 500 years old.

Designed by Water Design Incorporated of Utah, USA, the main fountain cascades down into four additional pools and is constructed from Travertine stone with bronze grating. Additionally, the grounds feature a reflecting pool near the temple with a flowing stream leading to the visitors’ center, where a statue of the Christus is located.

Walkways surrounding the temple are constructed of Travertine and Porfido pavers. The stone, quarried from various locations and carved in Italy, was installed by Consorzio Italiano Del Forfido of Trento, Italy. The fence surrounding the temple site on three sides is constructed from plastered concrete, stone pilasters and custom wrought iron fencing. The design of the fences correlates with railings inside the temple and incorporates an oval motif design, a recurring theme in both the interior and exterior finishes. They were supplied and installed by Siro Marin of Padua, Italy.

Exterior

Symbolism

Inscription

Cornerstone

Spires and Finial

Spires

Moroni

Interior

Baptistry

Initiatory Spaces

Instruction Rooms

Celestial Room

Sealing Room

Brides Room

Contractors

Architect

Engineers

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General Contractor

Other Contractor

Region

TEMPLES IN EUROPE _{by country}

Austria	1	Vienna
Belgium	1	Brussels
Denmark	1	Copenhagen
Finland	1	Helsinki
France	1	Paris
Germany	3	Frankfurt · Freiberg · Hamburg
Hungary	1	Budapest
Ireland	1	Dublin
Italy	2	Milan · Rome
Netherlands	1	The Hague
Norway	1	Oslo
Portugal	1	Lisbon · Porto
Russia	1	Russia
Spain	2	Barcelona · Madrid
Sweden	1	Stockholm
Switzerland	1	Bern
Ukraine	1	Kyiv
United Kingdom	4	Birmingham · Edinburgh · London · Preston

Sources and Citations

Last updated on: 18 September 2025