SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have announced the upcoming public open house and dedication dates for the new Montpelier Idaho Temple.
In a press release, the church’s First Presidency detailed how a public open house will run from Thursday, Sept. 10, through Saturday, Sept. 26, excluding Sundays. Prior to the public opening, a media day will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8, followed by private tours for invited guests on Sept. 9.
The temple will be dedicated on Sunday, Oct. 18. The dedicatory session will take place at 10 a.m., with a rebroadcast scheduled for 2 p.m. The dedication will be broadcast to all congregations within the Montpelier Idaho Temple district.
First announced by the church in April 2022, the Montpelier Temple will become the eighth operating temple in Idaho. It joins existing temples in Boise, Burley, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Pocatello, Rexburg and Twin Falls.
Idaho is home to more than 482,000 Latter-day Saints spread across more than 1,300 congregations. Three additional temples are currently planned for the state: The Teton River Idaho Temple is under construction, while temples in Caldwell and Coeur d’Alene have been announced.
Monday’s announcement comes just weeks after the church announced Bart Orr Christensen and Cherie Lynn Bullock Christensen will serve as the president and matron of the temple. The couple from Grace, Idaho, are expected to oversee the daily operations of the temple for three years.
Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ differ from local meetinghouses or chapels, where members gather for regular Sunday worship services. Latter-day Saints consider temples to be houses of the Lord, where core teachings are reaffirmed through sacred ceremonies — such as marriages and baptisms — that are believed to unite families for eternity.