17 more Latter-day Saint temples to reopen

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will reopen 17 more temples as part of the faith’s phased reopening plan.

The 17 temples that will reopen for live marriage ordinances on Monday are:

• Atlanta, Georgia Temple
• Billings, Montana Temple
• Birmingham, Alabama Temple
• Bismarck, North Dakota Temple
• Copenhagen, Denmark Temple
• Gilbert, Arizona Temple
• Jordan River, Utah Temple
• Memphis, Tennessee Temple
• Nashville, Tennessee Temple
• Phoenix, Arizona Temple
• Seoul, Korea Temple
• Snowflake, Arizona Temple
• Star Valley, Wyoming Temple
• Taipei, Taiwan Temple
• The Gila Valley, Arizona Temple
• Tucson, Arizona Temple
• Winter Quarters, Nebraska Temple

This announcement came after the church announced another 17 temples that would be opening earlier this month.

Katie Hadley and Caden Harris got engaged in February and planned their wedding for June 10th. Then everything started shutting down. So when they got a phone call from the Ogden temple, they were thrilled.

“I was speechless, honestly,” said Hadley. “It took me by surprise completely. I didn’t know if my temple would be one of the few that would be opening or we would still be waiting or what was going to happen.”

Only a small group can be present, with social distancing. The couple will have their parents and a sibling and that’s about it.

They can’t have a large group outside or a photographer either.

“We show up, we go in and get sealed, we walk out and we leave,” said Hadley.

But they think they’ll go back later and take those pictures when allowed.

“We decided we would still just get married. No sense in waiting,” she said.

More temples coming

In addition to the now 34 temples in limited operation, the church says it will also open 18 more temples May 25 — bringing the total number of reopened temples to 52.

Those temples that will open on the 25th are:

• Anchorage, Alaska Temple
• Cardston, Alberta Temple
• Columbus, Ohio Temple
• Dallas, Texas Temple
• Denver, Colorado Temple
• Draper, Utah Temple
• Edmonton, Alberta Temple
• Fort Collins, Colorado Temple
• Helsinki, Finland Temple
• Houston, Texas Temple
• Kansas City, Missouri Temple
• Louisville, Kentucky Temple
• Mount Timpanogos Temple
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Temple
• Orlando, Florida Temple
• Regina, Saskatchewan Temple
• St. Paul, Minnesota Temple
• Vancouver, British Columbia Temple

Church temples were closed in March due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Phases of reopening

During the first phase of reopening, church leaders say it will staff temples with as few as two or three workers to attend those participating in live sealing ceremonies. Those marriage ceremonies will be limited to one couple and a limited number of guests at a time.

Additionally, temple workers will clean and sanitize the sealing room and other rooms in the temple following each ceremony. Patrons may wear their own masks and gloves, with hand sanitizer available in multiple locations around the temple. 

The second phase of reopening will be open the temples for living ordinances only. According to the letter, when temples move to this phase patron housing, clothing and cafeteria operations will still remain closed.

Phase 3 of reopening will allow for all ordinances within the temple to be open with restrictions, followed by Phase 4 where regular operations will resume.