In the News
FOLLOW US
In the News
In the Almanac
In the News
In the Almanac
9th temple dedicated
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1955 Dedication of the Bern Switzerland Temple
In 1952, Church President David O. McKay traveled to Europe to minister to the European people and make arrangements with Swiss leaders for a house of a Lord to be built in Bern. Just before he boarded his plane back to Utah on July 1, 1952, President McKay told the United Press in Glasgow, Scotland, that the first European temple would be built in Bern, Switzerland.After a building process that included a cornerstone ceremony on Nov. 13, 1954, presided over by President Stephen L Richards, first counselor in the First Presidency; an open house from Sept. 9 through Sept. 10, 1955; and a visit from The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Bern on the last day of the open house, President McKay presided over the 10 dedication sessions of the Bern Switzerland Temple from Sept. 11 through Sept. 15, 1955.
As reported in a 1955 edition of the Deseret News, the First Presidency — President McKay; President Stephen L Richards, first counselor; and President J. Reuben Clark Jr., second counselor — said the temple dedication was “a realization of the dreams and prayers of hundreds of the faithful Saints who through years of war and deprivation had longed for the day when they too might be afforded the most treasured blessings of the gospel.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May this building ever be held sacred, that all who enter may feel a peaceful and hallowed influence, and may those who pass the grounds, whether members or nonmembers of the Church, feel a hallowed influence and substitute for a doubt or possible sneer in their minds, a prayer in their hearts.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Bern Switzerland Temple here.
1992 Rededication of the Bern Switzerland Temple
The Bern Switzerland Temple was closed for renovations from early 1990 through October 1992. Once renovations were completed, the house of the Lord was open to the public for tours from Oct. 8 through Oct. 17, 1992, with nearly 33,000 in attendance.According to a 1992 edition of the Deseret News, Michael Obst, public affairs director for the Europe Area, said the open house events “were very organized, with typical Swiss precision. There was a very loving, kind and calm spirit about the open house. People commented time and again about how impressed they were with the happiness that radiated from the tour guides and those conducting the tours and welcoming them.”
After the open house, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley presided over 10 dedicatory sessions for the temple from Oct. 23 through Oct. 25, 1992. Nearly 9,000 people attended throughout the 10 sessions.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We pray for those who direct the affairs of thy temple that they may be guided by Thy Holy Spirit and be possessed with wisdom beyond their own. We pray for all who administer the ordinances that they may do so in a manner acceptable unto thee and in a spirit of reverence. We pray for all who come to this, Thy holy house, that they walk in cleanliness before thee.”
Read the rededication prayer of the Bern Switzerland Temple here.
Timeline of the Bern Switzerland Temple
July
01
1952
Announced
The Bern Switzerland Temple was announced on July 1, 1952, by Church President David O. McKay to the United Press in Glasgow, Scotland. President McKay had spent the entire month of June ministering in Europe and making arrangements with Swiss leaders for a house of the Lord to be built in Bern.
August
05
1953
Groundbreaking
The groundbreaking for the Bern Switzerland Temple was held on Aug. 5, 1953.
November
13
1954
Cornerstone ceremony
A ceremony was held at the Bern Switzerland Temple to lay the cornerstone of this house of the Lord on Nov. 13, 1954. President Stephen L Richards, first counselor of the First Presidency, gave an address and a prayer at the ceremony. He was accompanied by former president of the Swiss Austrian Mission, Samuel E. Bringhurst; and his wife, Lenora.
September
09
1955
Open house
The public was invited to tour the Bern Switzerland Temple from Sept. 9 through Sept. 10, 1955. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, who was touring Europe at the time, sang in a concert in Bern on Sept. 10 and provided music for the dedication ceremony the next day.
September
11
1955
Dedication
The Bern Switzerland Temple was dedicated throughout 10 sessions from Sept. 11 to Sept. 15, 1955, by Church President David O. McKay. As reported in a 1955 edition of the Deseret News, the First Presidency — President McKay; President Stephen L Richards, first counselor; and President J. Reuben Clark Jr., second counselor — said that the temple dedication was “a realization of the dreams and prayers of hundreds of the faithful Saints.”
1990
Closed for renovation
In early 1990, the temple was closed to renovate and modernize the building.
October
08
1992
Rededication open house
The Bern Switzerland Temple was open to the public for tours from Oct. 8 through Oct. 17, 1992. Nearly 33,000 people attended the open house, and tours were held in several different languages, including French, Italian, German, English and Russian.
October
23
1992
Rededication
The Bern Switzerland Temple was rededicated in 10 sessions from Oct. 23 through Oct. 25, 1992. The dedication was presided over by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, and a total of nearly 9,000 people attended the ceremonies.
Church President David O. McKay announced plans to build a temple in Bern, Switzerland, on July 1, 1952. Ground was broken for the Bern Switzerland Temple on Aug. 5, 1953, and a cornerstone ceremony was held on Nov. 13, 1954.
After an open house from Sept. 9 to Sept. 10, 1955, this house of the Lord was dedicated by President David O. McKay in 10 sessions from Sept. 11 through Sept. 15, 1955.
The temple closed for renovations in early 1990 and, once construction was finished, was open to the public for tours from Oct. 8 through Oct. 17, 1992. The Bern Switzerland Temple was rededicated by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley throughout 10 sessions from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25, 1992.
The interior features the baptistry, the celestial room, four ordinance rooms and seven sealing rooms. The steeple of the temple was a simple spire until it was replaced with a statue of the angel Moroni on Sept. 7, 2005, in honor of the building’s 50th anniversary four days later.
After an open house from Sept. 9 to Sept. 10, 1955, this house of the Lord was dedicated by President David O. McKay in 10 sessions from Sept. 11 through Sept. 15, 1955.
The temple closed for renovations in early 1990 and, once construction was finished, was open to the public for tours from Oct. 8 through Oct. 17, 1992. The Bern Switzerland Temple was rededicated by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley throughout 10 sessions from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25, 1992.
Architecture and Design of the Bern Switzerland Temple
The exterior of the 39,063-square-foot temple, originally 39,457 square feet before renovations, is made of reinforced concrete with gray terracotta trimmed in white. The grounds cover seven acres and are filled with grass fields, trees, hedges and gardens.The interior features the baptistry, the celestial room, four ordinance rooms and seven sealing rooms. The steeple of the temple was a simple spire until it was replaced with a statue of the angel Moroni on Sept. 7, 2005, in honor of the building’s 50th anniversary four days later.
Quick Facts
Announced
1 July 1952
Dedicated
11 September 1955
Dedicated by
Rededicated
23 October 1992
Rededicated by
Current President and Matron
Location
Tempelstrasse 2
CH-3052 Zollikofen
Switzerland
Appointments
View schedule and book online
(41) 31-915-5252
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Switzerland, Europe and the Eastern Hemisphere.
Fact #2
It was the third Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States and its territories and the first dedicated outside of North America.
Fact #3
The Bern Switzerland Temple was rededicated five days after the London England Temple was rededicated. The temples had originally been dedicated three years apart.
Fact #4
President McKay first announced a temple for Bern in an interview with the United Press in Glasgow, Scotland.
Fact #5
In 1953, Gordon B. Hinckley, then a staff member of the Missionary Department of the Church, was tasked by Church President David O. McKay to find a way to present the temple ordinances in eight different languages, a necessity for the diverse cultures who would attend the Bern Switzerland Temple. Brother Hinckley studied the ordinances, prayed often and consulted with President McKay to find an answer, which eventually led him to propose that the ordinances be presented in movie form. The top floor of the Salt Lake Temple was used to film the English video over the course of one year, then videos were filmed for each of the remaining seven languages.
Fact #6
Music for the temple dedication ceremonies was partly provided by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Fact #7
Although only around 6,500 members of the Church lived in Switzerland in 1992, nearly 33,000 attendees toured the Bern Switzerland Temple open house in October of that year.
Fact #8
During the rededication open house, tours were held in several different languages, including French, Italian, German, English and Russian.
Fact #9
The temple had 10 sessions for both the dedication and rededication ceremonies.
Fact #10
A statue of the angel Moroni was added to the steeple of the Bern Switzerland Temple on Sept. 7, 2005, in honor of the building’s 50th anniversary four days later.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Switzerland, Europe and the Eastern Hemisphere.
Fact #2
It was the third Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States and its territories and the first dedicated outside of North America.
Fact #3
The Bern Switzerland Temple was rededicated five days after the London England Temple was rededicated. The temples had originally been dedicated three years apart.
Fact #4
President McKay first announced a temple for Bern in an interview with the United Press in Glasgow, Scotland.
Fact #5
In 1953, Gordon B. Hinckley, then a staff member of the Missionary Department of the Church, was tasked by Church President David O. McKay to find a way to present the temple ordinances in eight different languages, a necessity for the diverse cultures who would attend the Bern Switzerland Temple. Brother Hinckley studied the ordinances, prayed often and consulted with President McKay to find an answer, which eventually led him to propose that the ordinances be presented in movie form. The top floor of the Salt Lake Temple was used to film the English video over the course of one year, then videos were filmed for each of the remaining seven languages.
Fact #6
Music for the temple dedication ceremonies was partly provided by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Fact #7
Although only around 6,500 members of the Church lived in Switzerland in 1992, nearly 33,000 attendees toured the Bern Switzerland Temple open house in October of that year.
Fact #8
During the rededication open house, tours were held in several different languages, including French, Italian, German, English and Russian.
Fact #9
The temple had 10 sessions for both the dedication and rededication ceremonies.
Fact #10
A statue of the angel Moroni was added to the steeple of the Bern Switzerland Temple on Sept. 7, 2005, in honor of the building’s 50th anniversary four days later.