Manila Philippines Temple

Dedication of the Manila Philippines Temple

Filipinas Batchelor, the first native Filipino to be baptized in the Philippines after the Southeast Asia island nation was dedicated for missionary work in 1961, was among the 6,454 who attended the Manila Philippines Temple dedication in September 1984.

At the dedication, she said, “The Lord knows my heart. I am so happy. Now I can die peacefully knowing there’s a temple here.”

Maxine Grimm, a Utahn who moved to the Philippines in 1945 as a Red Cross volunteer and offered the swimming pool at her house for use as a baptismal font in the early days of the Church in the Philippines, also expressed her gratitude for the first house of the Lord in the Philippines.

“We had hoped and prayed there would be a temple here someday, but now that it’s here, it’s almost beyond comprehension. I need to wait two or three days to really feel the full significance of what’s happening,” Grimm said.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the Manila Philippines Temple in nine sessions from Sept. 25-27, 1984. During the dedication, he acknowledged the spirit of reverence for the temple, saying, “Never has there been a time that I’ve felt such a surge of emotion and been touched by the Spirit than I feel now.”

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We thank Thee for this beautiful edifice and for all who have worked to make it possible. May it stand as a pillar of truth and as an invitation to all who look upon it to learn of the purposes for which it has been created.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Manila Philippines Temple here.

A temple for Manila, Philippines, was announced by Church President Spencer W. Kimball on April 1, 1981. The groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was held Aug. 25, 1982.

A total of 26,522 visitors attended the open house of the completed house of the Lord from Sept. 3-15, 1984. President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Manila Philippines Temple in nine sessions from Sept. 25-27, 1984.

Architecture and Design of the Manila Philippines Temple

The 26,683-square-foot Manila Philippines Temple was built on approximately 3.5 acres of land. The exterior finish is made of white ceramic tile.

Six detached spires surround the temple, and the grounds are filled with grass fields and tropical vegetation. The interior features four instruction rooms and three sealing rooms.

Manila Philippines Temple Lights Up Quezon City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnC8Nqut0_g