Church’s Rome temple to close and stake meetings canceled in Seattle due to coronavirus

The Rome Italy Temple will be closed beginning Friday due to the presence of coronavirus, the Europe Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday.

The Rome Temple is the fifth church closed as they work with government officials around the world to try and avoid the coronavirus. It had been scheduled to close March 21st for its annual cleaning which usually takes a few weeks.

The decision to close The Rome Temple was reached because “of the latest developments related to the coronavirus and by virtue of the desire to align with the recent directives issued by the Italian government regarding the closure of universities and schools,” the release said.

A limited number of marriages and other church activities for the living that had been scheduled will still go on, according to a news release posted on the church’s Italy Newsroom.

Additionally, a stake north of Seattle, Washington has canceled all church activities and worship services through Sunday. This was in accordance with a government request to cancel or postpone nonessential large gatherings because of the coronavirus.