Temples

In Atheist Albania, A Yearning for God

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

Not all of the moments and sayings in the life of Jesus can be read as a sequence of events. We have stories and sayings that we can’t always connect. But in today’s study we can see things in sequence, which adds meaning to the story. This includes the feeding of the 5,000, the rescue of the apostles while they are struggling against great winds on the Sea of Galilee, and the Bread of Life speech which motivated many of Jesus’s followers to desert Him.

Rome: Called to be Stake President When He Had No Car

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

Though Giovanni Dicarolo had been serving as a counselor in the mission presidency, in 1997, he was surprised and overwhelmed to be called to be the first stake president in Puglia, Italy. Yet, there was something more than a sense of inadequacy that troubled Giovanni when he first was called. He didn’t have a permanent job and things were not going well financially. How would he serve with the resources he had?

How Missionary Work in Italy Has Changed With The New Rome Temple

by Michaela Proctor Hutchins

When Michael and Marian Pickerd met while serving as young missionaries in the Italy Rome Mission from 1977-1979, they thought nothing of it—their paths crossed only briefly while serving in Naples at the beginning of their missions. They could have never foreseen as they labored in the small branches of Italian Latter-day Saints that one day they would return to Italy together, this time to preside over their own mission and witness the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple.

From Monastery to Mission President

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

I have often wondered who are the pioneers in each land who hear the gospel and respond to the Spirit with such fervency that they can defy tradition and family pressure to join a faith that is tiny. Who are these people who become the backbone of the Church, meeting in little apartments with only a handful of others, when their peers attend church in sumptuous cathedrals? What spark has been lit in them? Vincenzo Conforte is one of those pioneers.

How Her Daughter’s Leukemia Brought One Woman to the Gates of the Rome Temple

by Michaela Proctor Hutchins

In the crowd of Saints at the visitor center after the first session of the Rome Italy Temple dedication, I saw a group gathering to take a photo in front of the art glass. After jumping in to take the picture for them, I asked the owner of the camera what brought her to Rome. Her response was breathtaking: “We came here 9 months ago because my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.”

How One Italian Sister Found Solace after her Husband’s Murder

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

We sit on the patio of an Italian villa in Rome, not far from the temple. A slight chill is in the air, but we are warmed by the woman in front of us, who we met just minutes ago and already seems like a friend. This warmth and grace seems almost beyond comprehension, because it was just four months ago that something devastating happened to her.

Photo Essay: The Counsel of President Ballard to the Youth in Rome

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

It was indeed an evening in Rome never to forget. Seven of the senior leadership of the Church gathered to be with the youth of the new Rome Italy Temple district. President M. Russell Ballard spoke to the youth and gave them wise counsel. As you read the captions of this photo essay (and look upon the beautiful youth) you’ll get the message he gave.

The Rising Generation in Rome

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

How is the rising generation of Church members faring in this world that is becoming devastatingly more difficult? The values which we took for granted as the bedrock of life not that long ago have been abandoned in our society. That is one of the questions we hoped to explore when we came to the Rome Temple dedication. How are the YSA’s of the Church doing in Rome and across Europe?

VIDEO: Apostles Testify of Jesus Christ in Rome

by Official Church Newsroom

As special witnesses to the world of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared their testimony of Christ. This video begins with the most recently called apostle, Elder Ulisses Soares, and then continues in sequence of seniority. The video concludes with Church President Russell M. Nelson.

Why President Nelson took all Latter-day Saint apostles to Rome, and what they said about it

by Deseret News

Our great colleague, Tad Walsh, of the Deseret News was standing side-by-side with us in Rome. The following article of his is extremely important reading to give insight and understanding into the recent unprecedented gathering of the Apostles in Rome.

What the Public Thought of the Rome Temple

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

The building of a temple and the open house that follows brings a surge of good will, not only from the members, but from the public who gets a glimpse inside a temple that they won’t see again. Surprisingly the neighborhood starts to think of it as “our” temple. They become curious as they see it rise. They want to see inside. So what effect did actually seeing the inside of the temple have on people?

Why They Can’t Stay Away: 3 Missionaries Returning to Italy

by Michaela Proctor Hutchins

As we interviewed people in line for the Rome Temple dedication, we found that more often than not, couples and families were there because they were former missionaries or mission presidents who had served in Italy years before. Many of them never imagined a temple could come to Italy in their lifetimes. Here are three of their moving stories.

Photo Essay: Finally! A Glorious Temple Dedicated in Rome

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

Clearly there is an excitement in the air, signifying that the Temple Dedication here in Rome is viewed as very important and significant by the Church. That feeling was poignantly felt on the gray Sunday morning as people streamed to the temple grounds for the first dedication. Among them were Italian pioneers who had joined the Church when there were no other members in their town. Come join is in beautiful photographs and meeting amazing people in this signature photo essay.

Why the Rome Temple was “The Biggest Challenge I’ve Ever Undertaken”

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

As someone who has built temples before, project manager Bret Woods said, “I’ve never seen more opposition to anything in my life than there was to this temple. The Adversary was very much against it. We’ve had people who have worked on 12 or 15 temples, who say they have never seen the Adversary try to thwart the work as he did on this one.”

President Nelson to the Youth In Rome: 5 Things to Know and 5 Things to Do

by Michaela Proctor Hutchins

The prophet’s message to the Latter-day Saint youth of Rome was clear and profound, “now that we have a temple in Rome, your friends will watch you more carefully than they ever have before.” With that prophecy, he outlined ten points to help them—five things he wants them to know and five things he wants them to do.

Historic Meeting Between President Nelson and Pope Francis at the Vatican

by Official Church Newsroom

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Pope Francis inside the Vatican Saturday, the first meeting between a Latter-day Saint president and a pope. The visit comes a day before President Nelson dedicates the Church’s first temple in Rome.

Entire First Presidency and Twelve Apostles Will Be Present for Rome Temple Dedication

by Official Church Newsroom

The prophet will dedicate the Rome Italy Temple Sunday, March 10, 2019 with the rest of the First Presidency and all twelve apostles in attendance. This is believed to be the first time in Church history that all 15 leaders have gathered in one location outside the United States.

Rome Temple Visitors’ Center—Unlike Any Other

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

There are only two places in Rome where you can see the depiction of the 12 Apostles in statue form–and one of those places is about to be dedicated. Don’t miss this opportunity to see, through beautiful photographs, the impressive and amazing Rome Temple Visitors’ Center.

Two Apostles Lead a Virtual Tour of the Rome Italy Temple

by Official Church Newsroom

A new video tour of the Rome Italy Temple from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints features an introduction by President Russell M. Nelson and a tour led by two apostles, Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Ronald A. Rasband.

Photo Essay–Rome Temple: The Sun Rises on Italy

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

The Rome Italy Temple is even more beautiful than we had imagined. We went there very early this morning, before the sunrise, to capture the colors, the angles and the feelings of this new, sacred place in Rome. Gaze upon these images and please read the captions as Meridian continues its Rome Temple coverage.

“One Day Italy Will Have a Temple”: The Prophetic Promise Made to a Catholic Woman in Rome

by Michaela Proctor Hutchins

As a teenager, Cecilia walked through the Piazza della Repubblica every day as she left her Catholic school run by nuns, passing the Latter-day Saint Elders in their white shirts and ties. Though it made for extra walking, she took large circles around the Roman square to avoid having to talk to the missionaries. She was satisfied. She knew her religion. She wasn’t looking for anything more. Or at least that’s what she thought.

Rome Temple Dedication Journal

by Meridian Magazine

I love to see the Lord’s small and intricate tender mercies. These are not always about big things. Sometimes it is just a little thing, arranged for your joy or a tap on your shoulder where He says, “I see you.” “I am here. I am in this.” These are His divine signatures. You can tell because they look like “coincidences”, but they would have never happened on their own.

How Michelangelo Affected the Rome Temple Design

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

In the October 2008 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple that made people gasp. A temple would be built in Rome, often called the Eternal City. One of those avid listeners was architect Niels Valentiner. The next morning he received a call with an invitation to design the Rome temple. “We were all flying high for a long time,” he said, referring to his architectural firm. “From that day on we were talking about what the temple should be with over 100 different designs discussed.” But there was one thing they decided early on.

Tom and Gayle Holdman: Working on Stained Glass for Rome with “Christ Looking Over Our Shoulder”

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

The Holdmans thought they were finished with the Rome Temple project when they delivered their 804 finished stained glass windows, a massive job that had taken years and many hands. Then, however, they were asked, “Would you be willing to do just one more window?” That one more window was this art-glass mural for the Visitors Center, a massive job in and of itself. Just when they might have thought, “Whew, we are finished,” they were only beginning.

Photo Essay: Story Behind the Rome Temple’s Stunning Stained Glass

by Scot and Maurine Proctor

When President Thomas S. Monson announced in 2008 that a temple would be built in Rome, Italy, the words struck deep into the hearts of Tom and Gayle Holdman and they felt strongly that they wanted to be part of that journey. They had already created stained glass for historic temples from Palmyra to Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, and now, they hoped, Rome would be the next leg of that journey.

Joseph Brickey: Awed to Paint the Visitor’s Experience at the Rome Temple

by Mariah Proctor

The new Rome Temple is part of a 15-acre complex that includes, among other things, an exquisite visitors center where artist Joseph Brickey was tasked with the daunting assignment to paint his own little piece of eternity in the form of mural, 20 feet high and nearly 50 feet wide, to accompany the Christus statue. Come read why this project was both deeply personal for him and sends an important message to those that get to experience it.