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Red Cliffs Utah Temple

Groundbreaking of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple

The groundbreaking of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple was presided over by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on Nov. 7, 2020. Government, educational and religious representatives were in attendance, including mayors of six cities.

In his dedicatory prayer on the site, Elder Holland said, “May the breaking of this soil and the development of this site not only be evidence of the dedication of a parcel of land, but may it also mark a rededication of our personal lives.”

President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, will dedicate the Red Cliffs Utah Temple on March 24, 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTaDk90kAvQ

Timeline of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple

October
07
2018
Announced

President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Washington County, Utah, on Oct. 7, 2018, during October 2018 general conference.

June
19
2020
Name changed

The temple, previously referred to as the Washington County Utah Temple, had its name changed to the current name on June 19, 2020.

November
07
2020
Groundbreaking

The Red Cliffs Utah Temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on Nov. 7, 2020, with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presiding. Attendance to the event was limited to comply with local COVID-19 safety restrictions, and around 70 people were invited.

February
01
2024
Open house

A public open house for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple is being held from Feb. 1 to March 2, 2024. A media day was also held Jan. 29, and invited guests toured the building Jan. 30-31, 2024.

March
24
2024
Dedication

President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, will dedicate the temple on March 24, 2024, during two sessions.

The Red Cliffs Utah Temple was announced Oct. 7, 2018, by Church President Russell M. Nelson. The groundbreaking and site dedication were held on Nov. 7, 2020, and presided over by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

After a public open house from Feb. 1 to March 2, 2024, the Red Cliffs Utah Temple will be dedicated on March 24, 2024, by President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency.

Architecture and Design of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple

The Red Cliffs Utah Temple, designed in the desert modern and neoclassical architectural styles, has an area of approximately 96,277 square feet. Motifs in the coral-and-beige-toned precast exterior are inspired by the grand cottonwood trees, mountains and canyons of southern Utah. Atop the center of the building is a multilevel spire, with arched windows around the bottom portion and arched openings around the top portion.

A water feature with three reflecting pools and waterfalls and accompanying seats sit on the temple’s north side, with shade structures on both the east and west sides. Common motifs inside include those of the dwarf bearclaw poppy, succulents, Indian paintbrush, cottonwood leaves and pomegranates.

This house of the Lord sits on a 15.31-acre site, with palm trees and green, yellow and purple bushes adorning the grounds. Due to a high water table, the temple site used to be unable to support the future temple’s foundation. Workers transported 30,000 cubic yards of red dirt from the foundation of the St. George Utah Temple, a temple in the same city, onto the Red Cliffs temple grounds to make them more stable.

Interior Photos of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple

Quick Facts

Announced

7 October 2018

Groundbreaking

7 November 2020

Groundbreaking Presided over by
TO BE DEDICATED BY
CURRENT PRESIDENT AND MATRON
Location

1555 S. Red Cliffs Temple Lane
St. George, Utah 84790
United States

Appointments

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This will be the second Latter-day Saint temple in the city of St. George, Utah, and the fourth temple in southern Utah.

Fact #2

Its groundbreaking ceremony happened just two days before the 149th anniversary of the groundbreaking of the St. George Utah Temple, a house of the Lord in the same city.

Fact #3

The Red Cliffs temple used to be called the Washington County Utah Temple until the name was changed on June 19, 2020. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Sister Patricia T. Holland came up with this name after driving past the red cliffs of the Petticoat Mountain.

Fact #4

Ground was broken for the Bentonville Arkansas Temple the same day as the groundbreaking for the Red Cliffs temple.

Fact #5

With this temple's dedication, St. George, Utah, will become the fourth city worldwide — and third in Utah — to have two temples of the Church of Jesus Christ, joining South Jordan, Utah; Provo, Utah; and Lima, Peru.

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This will be the second Latter-day Saint temple in the city of St. George, Utah, and the fourth temple in southern Utah.

Fact #2

Its groundbreaking ceremony happened just two days before the 149th anniversary of the groundbreaking of the St. George Utah Temple, a house of the Lord in the same city.

Fact #3

The Red Cliffs temple used to be called the Washington County Utah Temple until the name was changed on June 19, 2020. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Sister Patricia T. Holland came up with this name after driving past the red cliffs of the Petticoat Mountain.

Fact #4

Ground was broken for the Bentonville Arkansas Temple the same day as the groundbreaking for the Red Cliffs temple.

Fact #5

With this temple's dedication, St. George, Utah, will become the fourth city worldwide — and third in Utah — to have two temples of the Church of Jesus Christ, joining South Jordan, Utah; Provo, Utah; and Lima, Peru.