The St. George Utah Temple closed its doors to members for renovations in 2019. On Sunday, Dec. 30, 2023, the rededication will take place in two sessions.
According to the news release, there will be two sessions for the dedication. The first will start at 10 a.m. and the second will start at 1 p.m. MT. The rededication will be broadcast only to the St. George temple district.
“A public open house will start on Friday, September 15, and continue until Saturday, November 11, excluding Sundays and Saturday the 30th of September, which is general conference,” the release said. “A media day will be held on the Monday prior to the start of the public open house.”
Renovations to the temple
According to TheChurchNews.com, there were a significant amount of renovations made in St. George Temple:
— New-look temple block, featuring new walkways, landscaping, water features, additional shade trees and improved landscaping.
— Entrances and exits, with a new bride’s exit and plaza added to the east side of the temple entrance and a new baptistry entrance and exit on the temple’s south side. For the latter, doors have replaced a pair of large, ground-level windows.
— Upgrades, including the adding of steel reinforcements to the building’s original wood trusses.
— Upgraded mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems.
— Architectural elements, with lighting and decorating reflecting the era of the early Utah pioneers. Furnishings in the renovated celestial room have been inspired by mid-19th-century designs, while many light fixtures throughout the temple reflect an older, period-appropriate appearance.
— Returning full-wall murals to the endowment rooms. Murals were removed from the temple in the 1970s; the modern replicas are inspired by the originals.
— A rebuilt stair tower, which was added to the rear of the temple in the 1970s. The tower features a grand staircase and a pair of elevators.
— A two-level north entrance addition, replacing the demolished annex that was built in the 1970s. Sealing rooms previously located in the annex have been moved into the temple proper, while mechanical equipment previously located in the temple was moved into the northern entrance. The addition also includes administrative offices and lower-level laundry room.
— New additional plazas — one as an entrance for patrons and temple workers, the other for guests and visitors. Located on the north side of the northern entrance, the new entrance plaza is graced by an anchoring water feature and flanking gardens and seating areas. Meanwhile, the east-side visitors’ plaza — including palm trees, gardens and a tiered water feature — offers a full view of the temple’s front facade.
— Preservation of the 1870s cast-iron font and the accompanying oxen at its base.
— Expansion and renovation of key temple areas. Some sealing rooms have been expanded for larger capacity, while the fourth-floor priesthood assembly room was renovated for a return to use. Weak wooden flooring and other limitations had precluded use of the latter for some time.