Coordinates: 29°38′29.33159″N 98°29′19.64039″W / 29.6414809972°N 98.4887889972°W / 29.6414809972; -98.4887889972 The San Antonio Texas Temple is the 120th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
On June 24, 2001 the LDS Church announced it would build a temple in San Antonio, Texas, making it the state's fourth. Within ten years, the number of Mormon members in the area grew from 9,000 to 12,000. Until the San Antonio Texas Temple was completed, Mormons in the area had to travel over 200 miles (320 km) to reach the nearest temple, near Houston.
On March 29, 2003 a site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony initiated construction. As the LDS Temple neared completion in September 2004, a ceremony was held to place a thirteen-foot, gold leafed angel Moroni statue on the spire of the temple.
After the building's completion, an open house was held April 16 through May 7, 2005 to allow people to see the inside of a Mormon temple. During these three weeks, more than 50,000 people took a tour through the newly finished temple. The inside of the temple is aesthetically furnished with African Cherrywood, stained glass windows, paintings of Jesus' life and a mural by San Antonio artist Keith Bonds. The use of color in the stained glass windows, in a slightly muted southwest style, and the indigo and star motif inside the central spire sets this edifice apart from most all other LDS temples.
LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley officially dedicated the San Antonio Temple on May 22, 2005. A celebration was held at the Alamodome the night before the dedication. More than 20,000 people attended to watch a show featuring over 4,000 singers and dancers, horses, fireworks, and presentations of Texas history, family values, and Mormon beliefs. President Hinckley spoke to those in attendance about the temple.
The San Antonio Texas Temple serves about 45,250 members living in an area spanning from Hillsboro to Brownsville. It has a total of 16,800 square feet (1,560 m2), two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
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