This fall, Maryland Mormon temple to let non-Mormons inside for the first time in 45 years
File Photo - The Washington D.C. Temple, also known as the Mormon Temple located in Kensington, Md. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
KENSINGTON, Md. (ABC7) — This September and October, for the first time in more than 40 years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will allow non-members to see the inside of the Mormon temple in Kensington, Maryland.
The church first announced in February 2017 that the D.C. temple, as they refer to it, would close in March 2018 for upgrades to the mechanical systems and to get new furnishings.
On Thursday, the church released more details about the re-dedication, saying a public open house will be held from September 24 through October 31. (Exempt dates during that period are September 27 and October 3rd , 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th.)
The re-dedication of the temple will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2020, in three sessions.
“For decades, millions of people have driven by or passed the Washington D.C. Temple. It has become an iconic part of the D.C. beltway,” said Aaron Sherinian, a longtime resident and volunteer public affairs media specialist for the Church.
“This fall, it can become an iconic part of people's lives in a new way. We invite people everywhere to join us inside the temple, to learn more about why it is so much more than a building and to feel the promise of peace it holds. We invite everyone to come and see.”
The temple was first opened to the public from September 17 to October 19, 1974, and more than 750,000 visitors toured the building. The temple was dedicated that November and has not been open to the public since that time.
Latter-day Saint temples are where faithful Mormons participate in sacred ceremonies such as marriage and the uniting of families for eternity, the church says. Temples differ from meetinghouses or chapels, where all are welcome to meet for Sunday worship service and other activities.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE D.C. TEMPLE:
- The temple was the first built in the Eastern United States
- The temple was the first to feature six spires since the construction of the Salt Lake Temple, which inspired the design
- Soaring to a height of 288 feet, the Washington D.C. Temple is the tallest temple in the Church
- The exterior is faced in white Alabama marble, symbolizing purity and enlightenment, which is shaved to 5/8 of an inch in some areas to allow a soft glow of sunlight to pass into the interior during the day
- The seven floors of the Washington D.C. Temple represent the six days of creation and the day of rest
