In 2025, temples continued to reshape the physical and spiritual landscape of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even as the pace and tone of announcements shifted in notable ways. Across dedications, groundbreakings, and site releases, the year reflected both extraordinary growth and a deliberate recalibration.
A year-end report published by Church News, written by Scott Taylor, documented the scope of that activity. By the close of the year, the Church reached a total of 383 temples worldwide, including 211 dedicated houses of the Lord and dozens more in various stages of planning or construction, underscoring how temple worship remained central to the Church’s global mission even amid leadership transition and evolving priorities.
Dedications That Marked a Global Church
The Church dedicated nine new temples in 2025, with houses of the Lord opening across five continents. These dedications reflected both the Church’s continued global growth and its focus on bringing temple worship closer to established and emerging communities of faith.
The temples dedicated during the year were:
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Syracuse, Utah
- Antofagasta, Chile
- Farmington, New Mexico
- Elko, Nevada
- Grand Junction, Colorado
- Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Several of these dedications carried symbolic weight. The Syracuse Utah Temple, dedicated by President Russell M. Nelson in June, became the Church’s 206th operating temple and one of the final dedications of his presidency, marking a meaningful moment near the close of an era defined by unprecedented temple expansion.
Leadership Transition and a Shift in Emphasis
President Nelson’s passing in September prompted renewed reflection on the scope of his influence, particularly his emphasis on temple building. Over nearly eight years, he announced 200 temples, dramatically expanding access to temple ordinances and reshaping expectations for members around the world.
Following his passing, President Dallin H. Oaks was set apart as President of the Church in October. During that same general conference, he announced that no new temple locations would be revealed, marking the first such pause since 2017 and signaling a shift in focus.
“With the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples,” President Oaks said during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference. He emphasized that the Church would concentrate on completing existing projects and ensuring temple ordinances were available to members worldwide.
Groundbreakings Signal Continued Momentum
Despite fewer announcements, temple construction activity remained robust. The Church held 20 groundbreakings during the year, reflecting sustained momentum behind projects already announced and moving many temples from planning into active development.
The groundbreakings took place in the following locations:
- Tacloban City, Philippines
- Cali, Colombia
- Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Birmingham, England
- Lethbridge, Alberta
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Natal, Brazil
- Benin City, Nigeria
- Budapest, Hungary
- Singapore
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Winchester, Virginia
- Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Tampa, Florida
- Vancouver, Washington
- Lone Mountain, Nevada
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Kumasi, Ghana
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Brussels, Belgium
Several of these ceremonies carried particular significance. The Birmingham England, Budapest Hungary, and Brussels Belgium temples marked the first new temple construction starts in Europe since the Rome Italy and Lisbon Portugal temples were dedicated in 2019.
The Brussels Belgium Temple also stood apart for its construction approach. Rather than beginning with a traditional groundbreaking, the site was dedicated in preparation for renovation, as the temple will be housed within an existing building.
By the close of the year, 55 temples were actively under construction, with additional groundbreakings already scheduled for early 2026 in Jacksonville Florida and João Pessoa Brazil.
Renderings, Sites, and Name Changes
An artist’s rendering of the Savai’i Samoa Temple. | Church NewsroomAlongside construction activity, 2025 brought a steady release of temple sites and exterior renderings, offering members and communities early glimpses of temples still years from completion. In some cases, site announcements and renderings were released together, while in others they came in stages as planning progressed.
Exterior renderings released during the year included temples in:
- Brussels, Belgium
- Lehi, Utah
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Benin City, Nigeria
- West Jordan, Utah
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Fairview, Texas (updated rendering)
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Buenos Aires City Center, Argentina
- Osaka, Japan
- Kumasi, Ghana
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Savaiʻi, Samoa
- Jakarta, Indonesia
In addition, several temples had sites announced without renderings during the year, further advancing projects already underway.
Two temples were also renamed in 2025. The Prosper Texas Temple was renamed the Fairview Texas Temple in April, accompanied by an updated exterior rendering, while the San Jose California Temple was renamed the Sunnyvale California Temple in December, aligning the temple’s name more closely with its final location.
New Temple Announcements
Temple announcements were more limited in 2025 than in recent years, but they continued to expand the Church’s global map. A total of 16 new temples were announced during the year, with the vast majority revealed during April general conference.
The newly announced temple locations were:
- Reynosa, Mexico
- Chorrillos, Peru
- Rivera, Uruguay
- Campo Grande, Brazil
- Porto, Portugal
- Uyo, Nigeria
- San Jose del Monte, Philippines
- Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Liverpool, Australia
- Caldwell, Idaho
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Rapid City, South Dakota
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Spanish Fork, Utah
- Portland, Maine
The final announcement came in an unexpected setting. During a December devotional for members of the Portland Maine Stake, the First Presidency announced plans for a temple in Portland, Maine, with additional details to be shared at a later date.
As 2025 concluded, seven temples were already scheduled for dedication in the first half of 2026. Taken together, the developments of the year reflected a Church balancing expansion with stewardship, momentum with mindfulness, and growth with an increasing emphasis on completion, as temples continued to anchor faith communities around the world.
Which 2025 temple development felt most meaningful to you or your community? Share with us 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.
The lords work continues to roll forward. Just would like to hear some postive movement on the Harrisburg Pennsylvania temple.