Tucson Arizona Temple Wiki

Description

The Tucson Arizona Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Pima County Arizona. The temple will serve approximately 33,000 members who make up the eight stakes in the Tucson area – from Sierra Vista, Wilcox, Avra Valley, Marana, Oro Valley to Nogales.

There are approximately 400,000 members of the Church in Arizona.^[1]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Church Announces New Temples in Arizona and Peru,” 6 Oct. 2012.

History

Latter-day Saints have lived in Arizona since 1873, when pioneers came from present-day Utah to colonize the area. In 1912, Latter-day Saints who had settled in Mexico also relocated to Arizona, and 15 years later, Arizona’s first temple was dedicated in Mesa. In 1973, Arizona native Spencer W. Kimball became the 12th president of the Church and served until his death in 1985. Today, there are over 400,000 Latter-day Saints living in Arizona, many of whom will be well served by a new temple to be built in the state’s southern region.

The history of the Church in Tucson goes back to 1846, when the Mormon Battalion marched through a small settlement that would later become Tucson. In 1899, Nephi and Jacob Bingham settled in the Tuscon area near the Rillito River, and they named the colony Binghampton. Gradually, more members of the Church settled in the area, and the first branch in Tucson was formed in 1910. The first stake in the area was formed in 1956.

Announced

On October 6, 2012, President Thomas S. Monson announced plans for a temple to be built in Tucson, Arizona—Arizona’s second largest city—during his opening remarks of the 182nd Semiannual General Conference.

The temple was announced in conjunction with the Arequipa Peru Temple.

Construction Approval

In February 2013, a Church project manager submitted preliminary plans to Pima County to propose making Church-owned property in the Catalina Foothills, where East Ina Road curves into Skyline Drive, the site for the Tucson Arizona Temple. The 7-acre site was purchased by the Church in 2010, and a residence to the north was subsequently acquired.

The documents included surveys and environmental studies plus site and floor plans that used a rendering of a two-story, 34,000-square-foot mission-style building to represent the Tucson Arizona Temple. Plans proposed a 260-space parking lot with large areas of natural desert open space to provide a buffer for the surrounding neighborhood. No rezoning was required for the site, as it is already zoned to allow religious buildings.

The Shadow Roc Homeowners Association—the neighborhood where the proposed site is located—previously opposed an office development at that location. But association president, Stan Kartchner, himself a member of the Church, responded favorably to the temple plans. He indicated that a temple is “one of the more favorable uses we could imagine” for the property. He expressed his desire for Church representatives to open a dialogue with neighbors as the plans progress.^[2]Becky Pallack, “Foothills site likely for Mormon temple,” Arizona Daily Star 4 May 2013, 4 May 2013 .

Groundbreaking

On Saturday, 17 October 2015, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tucson Arizona Temple. Services were broadcast live to area meetinghouses in English and in Spanish.^[3]Adair, Jill (October 17, 2015). “Pres. Uchtdorf dedicates ground for Tucson Arizona Temple“. Church News.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Tucson Arizona Temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremony for the Concepción Chile Temple.^[4]”Ground Broken for Temples in Chile and the U.S.” Newsroom. LDS Church. October 17, 2015.

Cactus plants at the Tucson Arizona Temple site were transplanted to an on-site nursery and reintegrated into the final landscaping.

Angel Moroni Raising

The angel Moroni was placed atop the dome of the Tucson Arizona Temple on July 7, 2016.^[5]Tucson, Johanna Willett | This Is. “Golden statue placed atop Mormon temple in Tucson“. Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved November 11, 2018.

Open House

A public open house was held from June 3 to 24, 2017, excluding Sundays.^[6]”Dedication Dates Announced for Tucson, Meridian and Cedar City Temples: Open house will begin in June for the Tucson Arizona Temple“, Newsroom, LDS Church, January 26, 2017

A member of the Church, Daniel Post, said, “I believe that when people come to visit the temple, they will feel something special as they visit the House of the Lord, as they come here and view the insides of this beautiful structure.” Calvin Caldwell, the project manager for the temple, explained that going to the temple is like finding an oasis in the desert. “They have that opportunity to take a deep breath and relax and all their worries kind of go away,” said Caldwell.^[7]“Open House Begins for Tucson Arizona Mormon Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 30 May 2017 .

Local Latter-day Saint, Lucinda Contreras, commented, “The structure itself is totally Southwestern and just is the feel of Tucson. It’s the old pueblo. Its unique dome [with] the beautiful blue … is representative of the sky and the beautiful colors that we have here in Tucson.” Her 15-year-old daughter, Candace Contreras, said, “Now people are wondering what it [the temple] is, and even my friends at school are like, ‘Hey, what’s that big building with the statue on top? Like what does that mean?’ And it gives me an opportunity to share with them what I know to be true and what it means to me.”^[8]“Open House Begins for Tucson Arizona Mormon Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 30 May 2017 .

According to news sources, more than 112,000 people visited the temple during its open house.

Cultural Celebration

A cultural celebration — a pageant showcasing Tucson history with about 2,100 teens participating — was performed at the Kino Sports Park at 7 p.m. on Saturday, 12 August 2017.

As seating was limited, the event was live streamed to multiple chapels in the area.

Dedication

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Tucson Arizona Temple on Sunday, 13 August 2017. There were three dedicatory sessions at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The services were broadcast to members of the Church in Arizona. The three-hour block of meetings was canceled for those congregations to enable members to participate and focus on this sacred event.

The first session included the customary cornerstone ceremony, a ceremonial sealing of the cornerstone with mortar to signal completion of the temple. Stepping outside of the temple with other Church leaders and their wives, President Uchtdorf spoke for several minutes to spectators gathered to watch the ceremony, remarking that “it is a reminder of Who is indeed the Cornerstone of our faith.” In his remarks, he said, the temple is “the intersection of terrestrial and celestial bearings, which brings us the harmony of earth and heaven through the House of the Lord.” He further commented, “Let us just remember that as we seal this cornerstone, it is also a moment to seal our hearts with the great purpose of our life. The temple is the place to teach the purpose of life. It is the moment where the world around us hopefully will see with us the goodness of the House of the Lord. … You are living in an area with wonderful friends, with great people who support the growth of the Church in this beautiful area.”

President and Sister Harriet R. Uchtdorf each applied mortar to the cornerstone cover, followed by other Church leaders and their wives and, finally by several children whom President Uchtdorf invited to come forward from among the spectators.

A choir of young single adults selected from throughout the temple district performed expressly for the cornerstone ceremony. Choir member Brittany Butler, Tucson Arizona West Stake, said, “It has been one of the most inspirational and moving experiences of my life. I couldn’t ask for a more spiritual experience. I’ve drawn closer to my Heavenly Father. To be able to work with my peers in a choral setting has given me the opportunity to learn from them and improve my closeness to God and Jesus Christ and to build my testimony through song.”

Officiating with President Uchtdorf was Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Benjamín de Hoyos, General Authority Seventy; Elder Kevin R. Duncan, General Authority Seventy; Elder Larry Y. Wilson, General Authority Seventy; and Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, the second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

The temple was dedicated on August 13, 2017, by Uchtdorf.^[9]”Tucson Arizona Temple Is Dedicated: Marks the 6th Mormon temple in Arizona and 157th in the world“, Newsroom, LDS Church, August 13, 2017^[10]Lloyd, R. Scott. “Amid Desert Grandeur, President Uchtdorf Dedicates Tucson Arizona Temple.” Church News, 9 Aug. 2019, www.thechurchnews.com/archives/2017-08-14/amid-desert-grandeur-president-uchtdorf-dedicates-tucson-arizona-temple-156711.

Dedication Order

The Tucson Arizona Temple will be the sixth temple built in Arizona, following the Mesa Arizona Temple (1927), the Snowflake Arizona Temple (2002), The Gila Valley Arizona Temple (2010), the Gilbert Arizona Temple (2014), and the Phoenix Arizona Temple (2014).

Details

The Tucson Arizona Temple was originally designed with a 95-foot steeple, which would have required a special permit. However, plans were altered, and the steeple was replaced with a dome-shaped cupola—reminiscent of the famous dome that crowns Italy’s Florence Cathedral—which does comply with Pima County planning and zoning regulations.

Location

The site for the Tucson Arizona Temple is located in the Catalina Foothills of Pimma County where East Ina Road curves into Skyline Drive. The Catalina Mountains serve as a northern backdrop to the temple, which overlooks the city of Tucson to the south.

Exterior

Using a simple and understated design, the Tucson Arizona Temple has design details influenced by other buildings int he area. It combines subtle influences of Spanish Colonial Design, as well as the Art Dec style. Recessed Window sections are contrasted with prominent corner pieces. The temple features a with Sonoran Desert motif.^[11]Tucson, Johanna Willett | This Is. “Golden statue placed atop Mormon temple in Tucson“. Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved November 11, 2018.

The Dome atop the temple was inspired by the 1920s-era Pima County Courthouse^[12]Taylor, Scott (June 8, 2017). “Why the latest Mormon temple design features a dome, not a steeple” DeseretNews.com. Retrieved November 11, 2018. as well as the nearby historic San Xavier del Bac Mission — the state’s oldest intact European-style building. , and is similar in design and shape (elongated, octagonal and ribbed) to Italy’s Il Duomo de Firenze (The Dome of Florence) of that city’s Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral.. The temple and spire are notably smaller in height than many other temples due to local zoning ordinances.

Interior

The temple is 38,216 square feet (3,550.4 m2) and is located on a 7.4-acre (3.0 ha) site.^[13]”Foothills site likely for Tucson Mormon temple“, KPHO, May 31, 2013, retrieved August 7, 2015^[14]Adair, Jill (May 30, 2017). “Open house begins for Tucson Arizona Temple“. Deseret News. Retrieved July 8, 2017. The Temple is larger than the Gila Valley Temple and smaller than the Phoenix Temple.

The design and colors inside the new 38,000-square-foot temple are influenced by the Art Deco style and reflect the green desert landscape of the American Southwest, including native plants, red cactus flowers and orange hues that represent the desert sun. Designers used the native ocotillo plant and the flower of the paddle cactus or prickly pear as inspiration for the décor, such as the art glass. Paintings feature stories of the ministry of Jesus Christ from the scriptures and desert scenery.