Boston Massachusetts Temple
The intent to build the temple was announced on September 30, 1995, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley during the church's general conference. The temple was the first to be built in Massachusetts.
The temple has a single attached end spire with a statue of the angel Moroni. The temple reflects a classic New England influence. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on June 13, 1997, conducted by Richard G. Scott of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
History
The Boston Massachusetts Temple is located in the suburb of Belmont, Massachusetts and was dedicated on October 1, 2000. When church president Hinckley announced the building of smaller temples in April 1998, he also spoke of a goal to have 100 temples built by the end of 2000. The Boston Massachusetts Temple marked the completion of that goal.
Richard G. Scott presided over the groundbreaking on June 13, 1997, and the building was completed three years later. About 82,600 visitors toured the temple during an open house prior to its dedication. A local radio station and newspaper working together produced the first on-line tours of a temple. It included narration accompanied by photographs of the temple's interior.
Because of a lawsuit filed by neighbors of the temple site, the temple was dedicated without the planned steeple. Hinckley remained optimistic and said the temple work would commence with or without a steeple. The Supreme Court of Massachusetts ruled in favor of the church the following May. Previously, a judge had ruled that the building's steeple was not a "necessary element of the Mormon religion." Therefore, under the law the building height limit could be enforced. But the Supreme Court overruled the earlier ruling saying, "A rose window at Notre Dame Cathedral, a balcony at St. Peter's Basilica, are judges to decide whether these architectural elements are 'necessary' to the faith served by those buildings?" The judges concluded that, "It is not for judges to determine whether the inclusion of a particular architectural feature is 'necessary' for a particular religion." On September 21, 2001, the steeple, including the angel Moroni statue was set in place, completing the temple.
The Boston Massachusetts Temple is large relative to many other Latter-day Saint temples, with a total of 69,600 square feet (6,470 m), four ordinance rooms, and four sealing rooms. The exterior is finished with olympia white granite.
In 2020, like all the others in the church, the Boston Massachusetts Temple was closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
= Operating
= Under construction
= Announced
= Temporarily Closed
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