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Montreal Quebec Temple

86th temple dedicated

2000 Dedication of the Montreal Quebec Temple

The Montreal Quebec Temple was dedicated in four sessions by President Gordon B. Hinckley — 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — on June 4, 2000. President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, also attended the dedication with his wife, Sister Frances J. Monson.

President Monson had served as mission president of the Church’s Canadian Mission from 1959 to 1962, during which time he sent the first six French-speaking missionaries to Quebec. At the dedication, he said, “Today, we have returned to Montreal, to a land I love, to the people I cherish.”

Many faithful Saints gathered for the dedication of the much-anticipated first house of the Lord in Quebec, including Brother Gerard Pelchat, first stake president of the first stake in Quebec, the Montreal Quebec Stake; and Roland LeMieux of the Montreal Quebec Mount Royal Stake, who was baptized 40 years earlier on Aug. 30, 1959. Even Richard Bybee — one of the first six French-speaking missionaries, who resided in California after his mission — traveled to Montreal to attend the dedication and meet Brother LeMieux, whom he baptized in 1959.

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Oh God, our gracious Father, we thank Thee and bow in reverence before Thee. Bless us to be worthy always of coming to this Thy house. Save us from evil and doubt. Bless us with righteousness and faith. May Thy holy Spirit be felt by all who come within these walls. May old men dream dreams and young men see visions as they contemplate the wonder and majesty of Thy divine and eternal plan for the salvation and exaltation of Thy sons and daughters of all generations.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Montreal Quebec Temple here.

2015 Rededication of the Montreal Quebec Temple

The Montreal Quebec Temple closed for a complete renovation due to extensive water damage on June 2, 2014. Both the interior and exterior of the building were updated, the interior with new furnishings and the exterior with steel framing structures.

After the renovations were completed, President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, rededicated the Montreal Quebec Temple in three sessions on Nov. 22, 2015.

President Thomas S. Monson, who was then President of the Church, wanted to attend the rededication alongside President Eyring. President Eyring spoke of President Monson’s desire to attend the rededication, saying, “The last time [President Monson] and I spoke, I felt of his great love for the Canadian people.”

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “On this historic day in Canada, we sing Thy praises dear Father. We are mindful that Thou art God, the Father of our spirits, the Almighty Governor of the universe. How thankful we are that we know Thou hearest and wilt answer our prayers. We pray for these blessings on this day of rededication of the Montreal Quebec Temple as we renew our faith and strengthen our determination to honor our own covenants, in the name of Him who is our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord and our King, even Jesus Christ, amen.”

Read the rededication prayer of the Montreal Quebec Temple here.

Timeline of the Montreal Quebec Temple

August
06
1998
Announced

The Montreal Quebec Temple was announced by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley on Aug. 6, 1998. President Hinckley made the announcement as he spoke to Latter-day Saints in Montreal as part of a nine-day ministry in Canada.

April
09
1999
Groundbreaking

Elder Gary J. Coleman, second counselor in the North America Northeast Area presidency, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Montreal temple on April 9, 1999. At the time, the temple site held an abandoned automobile dealership, which would be demolished in preparation for the temple’s construction.

May
20
2000
Open house

The Church held an open house for the temple from May 20 to May 27, 2000, with approximately 10,000 visitors. A local parish priest who toured the building told President Sterling H. Dietze, a local stake president, “Thank you for inviting me. I wish you all the best.”

June
04
2000
Dedication

The Montreal Quebec Temple was dedicated by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley on June 4, 2000, throughout four sessions. President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency and the first mission president in Quebec, also attended the event alongside many Quebecois Latter-day Saints, some of whom were part of the province’s first stake, which was established in Montreal in 1978.

June
02
2014
Closed for renovations

On June 2, 2014, the temple closed for a complete renovation due to extensive water damage. The exterior appearance was changed, the wooden frames were replaced with steel frames and the interior rooms were refurbished.

November
05
2015
Rededication open house

The public was invited to tour the Montreal temple during its open house from Nov. 5 through Nov. 14, 2015. More than 7,800 people attended the open house.

November
21
2015
Cultural celebration

The night before the rededication of the temple, on Nov. 21, 2015, more than 400 youth from stakes throughout Quebec and eastern Ontario, Canada, performed in a cultural celebration in honor of this house of the Lord. The program was titled after Quebec’s provincial motto, “Je me souviens,” or “I remember” in English, and paid homage to the spiritual and cultural heritage and the diverse history of the area through song, dance and narration.

November
22
2015
Rededication

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, rededicated the Montreal Quebec Temple in three sessions on Nov. 22, 2015. Thousands of Canadian Latter-day Saints were also able to watch the rededication via broadcast.

Church President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to build a temple in Montreal on Aug. 6, 1998. The groundbreaking ceremony for this house of the Lord was held on April 9, 1999, and was presided over by Elder Gary J. Coleman, second counselor in the North America Northeast Area presidency. Finally, the Montreal Quebec Temple was dedicated by President Hinckley in four sessions on June 4, 2000.

On June 2, 2014, the temple closed for renovations due to extensive water damage. Once renovations were completed, President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, rededicated the Montreal Quebec Temple in three sessions on Nov. 22, 2015.

Architecture and Design of the Montreal Quebec Temple

The temple has an area of 11,550 square feet and sits on 2.4 acres of land next to the St. Lawrence River. Next to the temple is a meetinghouse, and the two buildings are surrounded by trees, grass fields and gardens. The exterior of the edifice is made up of granite from Quebec, and the windows feature gold and blue glass in geometric designs, like the historic metal grill patterns that are found in buildings throughout Montreal.

The temple features a baptistry, a celestial room, two sealing rooms and two ordinance rooms. Details in the decor throughout the house of the Lord depict Canadian maple leaves as well as flowers for the different countries that settled Montreal — A fleur-de-lis honors the French, a rose the English, a thistle the Scots and a shamrock the Irish.

Interior Photos of the Montreal Quebec Temple

Quick Facts

Announced

6 August 1998

Dedicated

4 June 2000

Rededicated

22 November 2015

Location

1450 Blvd. Marie-Victorin
Longueuil, QC J4G 1A4
Canada

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the sixth Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Canada.

Fact #2

Details in the decor throughout the temple, from Canadian maple leaves to flowers, depict different aspects of Montreal’s diverse culture for the different countries that settled Montreal — a fleur-de-lis honors the French, a rose the English, a thistle the Scots and a shamrock the Irish.

Fact #3

The temple site was previously home to an automobile dealership, whose empty garage was still standing when ground was broken for the temple.

Fact #4

This was the first of six temples dedicated in June 2000.

Fact #5

It was dedicated the same day that the San José Costa Rica Temple was dedicated.

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the sixth Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Canada.

Fact #2

Details in the decor throughout the temple, from Canadian maple leaves to flowers, depict different aspects of Montreal’s diverse culture for the different countries that settled Montreal — a fleur-de-lis honors the French, a rose the English, a thistle the Scots and a shamrock the Irish.

Fact #3

The temple site was previously home to an automobile dealership, whose empty garage was still standing when ground was broken for the temple.

Fact #4

This was the first of six temples dedicated in June 2000.

Fact #5

It was dedicated the same day that the San José Costa Rica Temple was dedicated.