Today’s groundbreaking for the Jacksonville Florida Temple has been long anticipated — for 79 years, actually.
On Jan. 19, 1947, Elder Charles A. Callis and Elder Harold B. Lee, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, organized Florida’s first stake in Jacksonville. It was also the first stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the southern United States.
When Elder Callis created the stake, “he prophesied that many other stakes would be organized in this land,” recounted Elder Massimo De Feo at the Jacksonville temple’s groundbreaking on Jan. 24. “And he actually said that one day, a house of the Lord would be built here.”
Elder De Feo added, “I want to thank the members, you dear brothers and sisters, for your faithfulness, because you are making this possible — because you are allowing the Lord to fulfill His promises because of your faithfulness.”
A General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the United States Southeast Area presidency, Elder De Feo presided over the Jacksonville temple’s groundbreaking, the first of 2026.
Information and photos of the livestreamed ceremony were published Jan. 24 on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Later in the day, ground was also broken for the João Pessoa Brazil Temple.
“This house of the Lord will be a beacon for the community. It will be a symbol of Jesus Christ,” said Elder De Feo. “It will be a symbol of peace, a symbol of unity, a symbol of interfaith dialogue, a symbol that we are all children of Heavenly Father, who loves all of us, regardless of our beliefs.”
In his dedicatory prayer on the site, Elder De Feo pleaded that this future house of the Lord would bless members and nonmembers for years to come.
“We pray to bless this community that surrounds us and that the temple may radiate light, hope and truth for all those who visit or even only see it,” he said. “We pray that they may recognize the Light of the Savior, feel hope in the Savior and know the truth about the Savior as they humble their hearts in reverence for this place.”
The Jacksonville temple’s groundbreaking comes just five months after another groundbreaking in Florida, for the Tampa Florida Temple — marking the first time that two Florida temples are in their construction phase at the same time.
About the Jacksonville temple and the Church in Florida
Planned as a single-story structure, the Jacksonville temple will be approximately 29,000 square feet. It will be built on a 6.6-acre site at 3323 Loretto Road, Jacksonville, Florida.
The late President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Jacksonville, Florida, on Oct. 2, 2022. It was one of 18 temple locations he identified during October 2022 general conference.
Of Florida’s five houses of the Lord in various stages, three have been dedicated: the Orlando Florida Temple (1994), Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple (2014) and Tallahassee Florida Temple (2024). The Orlando temple closed in July 2024 for renovations, which are ongoing.
In addition to the Jacksonville temple, the Tampa Florida Temple is under construction. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided over the Aug. 23, 2025, groundbreaking, offering a prayer dedicating the temple site and construction process.
After missionaries first arrived in Florida in 1845, growth of the Church started slowly in the state. Florida’s first Latter-day Saint branch, the Hassell Branch, was created on May 9, 1897, in the Florida panhandle. By 1904, the state had 1,230 Church members.
Today, Florida is home to more than 176,000 Latter-day Saints in about 280 congregations.
