Quito Ecuador Temple
On 3 April 2016, during the Sunday morning session of the 186th Annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Thomas S. Monson announced that Ecuador's second temple would be constructed in the capital city of Quito. The Quito Ecuador Temple will be constructed east of Quito in the beautiful suburb of Cumbayá at the junction of Ruta Viva and Escalón Lumbisí.
Nestled in a long, narrow valley high in the Andes mountains, Quito is known for being the highest capital city in the world at 9,350 feet above sea level.
There are more than 250,000 members of the Church in Ecuador and more than 300 congregations. There are seven operating stakes in this city of 2.5 million people, which is the second-most populous city in Ecuador after Guayaquil, where the nation's first temple was constructed.
Prior to the announcement of Quito's temple, Ecuador was the country with the highest number of members with only one temple. The Saints of Quito currently travel 270 miles to reach the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple, which was dedicated on 1 August 1999. Saints in the Imbabura region, north of Quito, generally arrange 13-hour overnight bus trips to attend the temple, participating in two endowments sessions and lunch before re-boarding the bus and returning home.
The Quito Ecuador Temple will serve Latter-day Saints in Quito, Otavalo, Ambato, Santo Domingo, and other areas in the region.
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The Groundbreaking Ceremony is Held for the Quito Ecuador Temple
The official rendering of the Quito Ecuador Temple was released on 7 March 2019.
More than 800 people participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Quito Ecuador Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including religious leaders, community leaders, and Dr. Maria Paula Romo, the Interior Minister, on Saturday, 11 May 2019. Elder Enrique R. Falabella, South America Northwest Area President, presided and dedicated the temple site signifying the beginning of construction for the sacred edifice.
Elder Hugo Montoya, a member of the Seventy and a counselor in the South America Northwest Area Presidency, expressed his love for the people of Ecuador. He said, "As members we support each other to serve the citizens of this country. The temple will be a refuge. We should not be distressed despite our problems. If we can be in a safe place, this place is the temple."
Attendance at the temple site was by invitation only, but the general public was invited to view the proceedings live from local meetinghouses.
The Quito Ecuador Temple will serve the Latter-day Saints of Quito, Otavalo, Ambato, Santo Domingo, as well as other areas in the region. This will be the second temple in the country. The Guayaquil Ecuador Temple was dedicated on 1 August 1999.
Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Quito Ecuador Temple
The public open house will be from Friday, 14 October 2022, to Saturday, 29 October 2022, excluding Sundays — 16 October and 23 October.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside at the dedication, with three sessions scheduled for 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. The dedicatory session will be broadcast to units in the temple district.
