On Saturday, March 22, ground was broken for the Birmingham England Temple, the third house of the Lord in the country. This was the first temple groundbreaking on the European continent since that of the Lisbon Portugal Temple in 2015.
Elder Scott D. Whiting, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Europe North Area, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony and dedicated the site and construction process.
Information about the invitation-only event, broadcast throughout the temple district, was published Monday, March 24, in a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org from the Church’s United Kingdom Newsroom.
“Today marks a joyous occasion as we break ground for the Birmingham England Temple,” said Elder Whiting. “This holy house will stand as a beacon of faith, peace and devotion to Jesus Christ for generations to come. We pray that it will bless not only those who enter its doors but also the surrounding community, as a symbol of love, service and unity.”
Councillor Alex Yip, a Birmingham city councillor over the local area of Sutton Wylde Green, said that “this temple will stand as a testament to the values of faith, tolerance and service that are the cornerstones to a thriving community rooted in service to young and old alike and embodies our hopes for the future.”
He continued: “The construction of the Birmingham England Temple is a wonderful and exciting addition to our Sutton Coldfield community, a royal town, known for its welcoming spirit and rich diversity. The new temple reflects the inclusive nature of our community, where people of all backgrounds and faiths live, work and can worship side by side.”
James Doggett, a young man from the Bristol England Stake, said at the groundbreaking ceremony: “It was an amazing opportunity to be a part of this great day, and I’ve realized how fast the Lord’s work is being hastened. Now that the temple is becoming a reality, it is a blessing for the UK and for this area.”
About the temple in Birmingham
President Russell M. Nelson announced this temple in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on April 3, 2022, during April 2022 general conference. It was one of 17 temples announced at the conference.
Planned as a single-story building of approximately 10,800 square feet, the edifice is being built on a 2.7-acre site at 185-187 Penns Lane, in Sutton Coldfield, a civil parish in Birmingham.
This house of the Lord will join two others in the United Kingdom: the London England Temple, dedicated in 1958, and the Preston England Temple, dedicated in 1998. A fourth temple, the Edinburgh Scotland Temple, was announced by President Nelson in April 2024.
Great Britain has had members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since just after the Church was organized in 1830, with missionaries first preaching in Preston, England, in 1837. More than 52,000 converts emigrated from Britain in the 19th century to join the main body of Saints in the United States. By 1870, British immigrants made up around half of Utah’s population.
Today, the United Kingdom is home to more than 180,000 members of the Church in over 300 congregations.
