Richmond Virginia Temple

Dedication of the Richmond Virginia Temple

During a media day for the Richmond Virginia Temple, before it was open to the public, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin toured the building. In his remarks at the event, he drew attention to how a house of the Lord — the state’s first — is now in “the first state to forge religious freedom into the fabric of our nation.”

This history stretches back to Thomas Jefferson, an American founding father who wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, a forerunner to the First Amendment and constitutional protection of religious freedom.

“May this temple be a lasting symbol to all Virginians of our collective legacy of true religious freedom,” said Gov. Youngkin, “and give the Latter-day Saint community across Virginia and around the world a powerful central location to practice their faith.”

The Richmond Virginia Temple was dedicated by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, during two sessions on May 7, 2023. During the cornerstone ceremony on the same day, the Apostle said, “The most important idea about a cornerstone is that Jesus Christ Himself is the chief Cornerstone, setting the direction for the building at the key position in the foundation.”

President Oaks was joined by his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks; Elder W. Mark Bassett, second counselor in the North America Northeast Area presidency and his wife, Sister Angela Bassett; Elder Kevin R. Duncan, executive director of the Church’s Temple Department and his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan; and Elder Michael John U. Teh, a General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Sister Grace Teh.

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Please bless all who worthily serve in Thy holy temples that they may participate with joy and understanding that thy work will go forward in power to fulfill Thy purposes for all Thy children. We pray that Thy Spirit will always be present in these holy spaces to enlighten and guide and bless all who are here and all that is said and done here.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Richmond Virginia Temple here.

The Richmond Virginia Temple was announced by President Russell M. Nelson on April 1, 2018. Two years later, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the site for this house of the Lord was dedicated by Elder Randall K. Bennett, president of the North America Northeast Area, on April 11, 2020.

After a public open house from March 25 to April 15, 2023, the Richmond temple was dedicated on May 7, 2023, by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.

Architecture and Design of the Richmond Virginia Temple

The Richmond Virginia Temple is a two-story building with 36,200 square feet. Its design includes one large steeple with a gold angel Moroni statue on top.

The design choices were inspired by local historical American traditions, such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and the University of Virginia. Symbols of Virginia’s state tree and flower — the dogwood — can be seen around the interior.

Interior Photos of the Richmond Virginia Temple