San Juan Puerto Rico Temple
On 7 October 2018, Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Russell M. Nelson announced that a temple will be built in San Juan Puerto Rico. Construction on the temple with an adjacent meetinghouse began in 2019. The San Juan Puerto Rico Temple is the first temple in Puerto Rico and the third temple in the Caribbean following the dedication of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple in September 2019.
On 12 January 2019, the Church released an artist rendering of the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple. The rendering features a single-story temple with an end spire reflective of the architectural styles in the area. The temple is located at 123 Calle Ronda Urb Villa Andalucía in the Trujillo Alto area of San Juan.
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Groundbreaking Ceremony for San Jan Puerto Rico Temple
A groundbreaking ceremony for the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was conducted on Saturday, 4 May 2019. Elder Walter F. González, president of the Caribbean Area for the Church, presided over the groundbreaking and dedicated the temple site.
During his remarks, Elder González said, "Without a doubt, this is a day to remember, a day that we will keep in our memories and in which the longing of so many brothers and sisters of this beautiful Island of Enchantment becomes reality. Build the temple first in your hearts."
Open House and Dedication
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the dates for the dedication and open house of the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside at the temple’s dedication on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, with sessions scheduled for 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.
A preceding public open house will run from Thursday, Dec. 1, to Saturday, Dec. 17, excluding Sundays. A media day will be Monday, Nov. 28, with invited guests touring the temple Nov. 29-30 before the start of the public tours.
The Church in Puerto Rico
The Church’s presence in Puerto Rico dates to 1947, when Latter-day Saint military personnel began holding meeting in Guajataca, in the island’s northwest area. In January 1964, the first missionaries arrived in Puerto Rico, with the first convert baptism coming the following month. In 1980, the first meetinghouse opened and home seminary began.
Today, the Church counts nearly 23,500 members among 38 congregations and five stakes in Puerto Rico.[1]
