The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has set the open house and dedication dates for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple and scheduled the groundbreaking for the Vienna Austria Temple. According to a Church Newsroom release, both countries will receive their first temples.
The Church of Jesus Christ will open the Pago Pago temple to public tours in November 2026 before Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicates it in December. The Church will break ground for the Vienna temple in October 2026 under the direction of Elder Michael Cziesla of the Europe Central Area Presidency.
Pago Pago Temple to Open for Public Tours
A rendering of the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple. | Church NewsroomThe Church will hold a media day for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple on Monday, November 2, 2026. Invited guests will tour the building on Tuesday, November 3, before the public open house begins the following day.
Members of the public may tour the temple from Wednesday, November 4, through Saturday, November 21, excluding Sundays. The open house will allow visitors to enter the temple before the Church dedicates the building for sacred worship and religious ordinances.
Elder Quentin L. Cook will preside at the temple’s dedication on Sunday, December 13, 2026. The Church will broadcast the dedicatory session to every congregation within the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple district.
The First Presidency announced the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple in 2019. The temple will serve a territory where more than 17,600 Latter-day Saints worship in 44 congregations.
The Pago Pago temple will become the first house of the Lord in American Samoa. The Church also released a rendering that depicts the planned exterior of the building.
Vienna Temple Groundbreaking Planned for October
A map showing the location of the Vienna Austria Temple. | Church NewsroomThe Church will conduct groundbreaking services for the Vienna Austria Temple on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Elder Michael Cziesla will preside at the event as a member of the Europe Central Area Presidency.
The groundbreaking will formally begin construction at Silbergasse 2 in Vienna. The Church previously selected a 0.80-acre property at that address for the temple.
Plans call for a multistory building containing approximately 15,300 square feet. An exterior rendering shows the planned design of Austria’s first house of the Lord.
The First Presidency announced the Vienna Austria Temple in 2021. More than 4,700 Church members currently live in Austria and meet in 17 congregations.
The Vienna temple and the Pago Pago temple will each provide the first dedicated temple in its respective country or territory. Their announced 2026 events place the two buildings at different stages, with Vienna preparing for construction as Pago Pago approaches its public open house and dedication.
An exterior rendering of the Vienna Austria Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | Church NewsroomWhat Happens Inside Latter-day Saint Temples
Temples serve a different purpose from the meetinghouses where Latter-day Saints gather for regular Sunday services, classes and other congregational activities. Church members regard temples as houses of the Lord and dedicate them specifically to sacred worship, covenants and religious ordinances.
Inside temples, faithful Church members make covenants with God and participate in ordinances centered on Jesus Christ and His teachings. Temple worship also offers opportunities for prayer, reflection and instruction about God’s plan for His children.
Latter-day Saints believe temple ordinances allow husbands and wives to remain united after death when they remain faithful to their covenants. These sealings also connect with the Church’s belief that family relationships can continue eternally through Jesus Christ.
Church members also perform ordinances on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not receive them during their lives. Latter-day Saints believe those ancestors retain the opportunity to accept or reject the ordinances performed for them.
Unlike a weekly congregation-wide worship service, temple worship often involves individuals or smaller groups participating in specific ordinances. Eligible Church members return throughout their lives rather than entering a temple for only one ceremony or occasion.
The Church teaches that repeated temple worship helps Latter-day Saints remember their covenants, strengthen their relationship with God and focus on Jesus Christ. The temples in Pago Pago and Vienna will provide Church members in those areas with places dedicated to those forms of worship.
What temple news are you most excited about? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
