As Christians ponder Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice this Easter season, two new statues on Temple Square now commemorate His “greater love” (John 15:13).
These statues — installed last September but recently made visible to the public — depict the Savior in two key moments of the first Holy Week: suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and carrying His cross before the Crucifixion.
They stand just south of the Salt Lake Temple in downtown Salt Lake City, near the Temple Square Visitors’ Center plaza. Although this area is still under renovation, the statues can be seen beside the construction.
One statue, Jesus Christ Carrying the Cross, portrays the Savior’s walk to Calvary before His Crucifixion. It was created by Michael Hall, who also sculpted Temple Square’s First Vision statue, placed north of the Tabernacle in November 2024.
The other statue, Jesus Christ in Gethsemane, depicts the Savior in prayer while suffering in the garden. Stefanie and Roger Hunt, a wife and husband, sculpted this piece.
According to a March 25 news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, “Both statues visualize transcendent moments in the life, teachings and ministry of Jesus Christ and enhance the sacred atmosphere of the renovation work underway at Temple Square.”
‘The big picture of what we’ve contributed’
“I never dared dream anything like this could happen,” said Roger Hunt about co-creating the statue Jesus Christ in Gethsemane. He spoke with his wife, Stefanie Hunt, in a March 25 video on the Church’s Temple Square social media pages.
Sculpting Christ made Him more personal to Roger Hunt, he said — as a Savior and Redeemer who is also “a person, the person of Christ.”
“I’m hoping that this sculpture can have that kind of impact on the millions of people who come through here, that they will understand what Gethsemane was, what Christ did there and what He went through there as part of the Atonement alongside His Crucifixion on the cross,” he said.
Seeing their statue with its Salt Lake Temple backdrop, Stefanie Hunt recognizes “the big picture of what we’ve contributed, being able to be part of creating something that graces the grounds in front of the temple we were married in.”
Stefanie Hunt said sculptors are never completely satisfied with their work, since a sculpture is never truly finished. However, they recognize the imperfections are OK as they trust the process.
“And how better can we express how perfect this is, this process, than to know that Jesus takes up the slack?” she said.
Roger Hunt added that joy comes from acknowledging the Savior. “We just have to make Christ the center of everything, and the more we do, the happier we can be.”
Other Easter displays on Temple Square
Visitors to Temple Square this season will see exhibits and visual installations reflecting the hope of Easter and highlighting the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ.
In February, the First Presidency — President Dallin H. Oaks, President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson — published an Easter message testifying that “Jesus Christ is risen.”
They wrote: “We invite each of you during this Easter season to ‘seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written’ (Ether 12:41). As you do so, we testify that your Easter celebrations can strengthen your own faith and testimony that ‘death is conquered; man is free. Christ has won the victory’ (‘He Is Risen!,’ ‘Hymns‚’ No. 199).”
April 2026 general conference will fall on Easter weekend, April 4-5. All are invited to watch the four general sessions. Leader messages will focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, including His literal Resurrection and infinite Atonement.
