Mormons dedicate temple in the cradle of American democracy: Philadelphia

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Members of the Church attended the cornerstone ceremony before the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple on Sunday, September 18, 2016.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explains the significance of sealing the temple's cornerstone.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

A choir of Latter-day Saints provided music for the traditional cornerstone ceremony just prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks to the Mormon youth performers of the cultural celebration. The event, held prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, honors the historical events of the area and the completion of the temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Three Latter-day Saint brothers are excited to have leaders of the Church in their city for the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks to the Mormon youth performers of the cultural celebration. The event, held prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, honors the historical events of the area and the completion of the temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Instruction room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' 152nd temple in the world.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

The bride's room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Chandelier in the celestial room of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Sealing room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

A cultural celebration highlighted the completion of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Mormon youth who live within the boundaries of the temple performed.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

A short reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was one of the highlights of the cultural celebration.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

Mormon youth participated in a cultural celebration a day before the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple was dedicated. The performance honored the rich American history of the area.

Courtesy | LDS Newsroom

One day before the temple was dedicated several hundred Latter-day Saint youth participated in a cultural celebration marking the completion of the temple with song and dance honoring the state's heritage and the history of the Church in Pennsylvania. The performance was held at the Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia.

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Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Members of the Church attended the cornerstone ceremony before the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple on Sunday, September 18, 2016. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explains the significance of sealing the temple's cornerstone. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom A choir of Latter-day Saints provided music for the traditional cornerstone ceremony just prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks to the Mormon youth performers of the cultural celebration. The event, held prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, honors the historical events of the area and the completion of the temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Three Latter-day Saint brothers are excited to have leaders of the Church in their city for the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks to the Mormon youth performers of the cultural celebration. The event, held prior to the dedication of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, honors the historical events of the area and the completion of the temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Instruction room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' 152nd temple in the world. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom The bride's room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Chandelier in the celestial room of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Sealing room in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom A cultural celebration highlighted the completion of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Mormon youth who live within the boundaries of the temple performed. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom A short reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was one of the highlights of the cultural celebration. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom Mormon youth participated in a cultural celebration a day before the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple was dedicated. The performance honored the rich American history of the area. Courtesy | LDS Newsroom One day before the temple was dedicated several hundred Latter-day Saint youth participated in a cultural celebration marking the completion of the temple with song and dance honoring the state's heritage and the history of the Church in Pennsylvania. The performance was held at the Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia.

By David Noyce The Salt Lake Tribune

· September 28, 2016 10:01 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

LDS leaders dedicated Pennsylvania's first Mormon temple Sunday in a sign that the largest U.S.-born religion is coming of age in the city of America's birth.

Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the Utah-based faith's governing First Presidency, did the honors, dedicating the 61,000-square-foot, twin-steepled temple in the heart of historic Philadelphia, not far from the Mormon chapel where he was baptized as an 8-year-old boy.

"It has a feeling in it unlike any temple I've ever been in terms of its beauty and the spaciousness," he said in a news release. "It's really quite remarkable."

During Sunday's ceremonies, the white-suited Eyring joined other church officials in a placing mortar around the cornerstone of the edifice, which features classic Georgian architecture, exterior granite from Maine and interior stone from Egypt and Italy.

"It's a wonderful moment in the dedication of this temple," the release quoted Eyring as saying. "There is a stone prepared for us now to seal. … It's symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the chief cornerstone of the church."

Now that it is dedicated, only devout Mormons will be allowed to enter the Philadelphia Temple (the church's 152nd temple in the world). There, they can participate in their faith's highest religious rites, including eternal marriage.

Near the structure, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has built a meetinghouse and is constructing a 32-story housing-retail complex.

The dedication also took place the weekend Americans are celebrating the U.S. Constitution, which, along with the Declaration of Independence, was penned at Philadelphia's famed Independence Hall.

David Noyce