HELENA - Construction is complete on the Helena Montana Temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the public is invited to tour the facility before its dedication.
Once dedicated, only members of the church who have met certain requirements may enter.
“We can't really express how exciting it is, it's a beautiful building,” Helena Stake President Bret Romney said. “More important than its beauty, though, is what it represents for us. As we have the opportunity to come and meet and worship and learn about our Father in Heaven here. So we're very excited and feel very blessed.”
The new temple is located at 1260 Otter Road just to the north of Helena in Treasure State Acres.
Public tours will be available May 18 through June 3, except on Sundays, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. No reservations are required.
There are around 51,000 individuals of the LDS faith in Montana organized into 127 congregations.
Temples play an important role in the LDS faith, with certain ceremonies only allowed to be conducted in a temple such as marriage or baptism of the deceased.
The buildings are also closed on Sundays with church members attending meetinghouses those days for worship.
The new temple was first announced on April 4, 2021, with the groundbreaking ceremony happening on June 26, 2021.
It is the second temple to be constructed in Montana, the first in Billings, meaning that area residents previously had to travel hours to reach the nearest temple.
“When our kids get married they can get married in Helena,” said Amber Colby, a member of the church. “Before we’d have to go to Billings, or travel somewhere else where there’s a temple. So, that’s one thing I’m most excited about.”
The new Helena Temple is the first Latter-day Saint temple constructed through the design-manufacture-install process.
The modules were built in Birmingham, Alabama and then transported by truck to Helena and connected on-site.
The 9,794-square-foot building stands 96 feet tall including the spire.
A formal dedication for the Helena Montana Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held Sunday, June 18.
An additional temple has been announced for Missoula.
