'Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity:' Mormon Temple Opening To Public

KENSINGTON, MD — Those who've driven on the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County have seen the towering white spires of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Some liken the Mormon-only temple in Kensington to Disneyland. Others call it the Land of Oz. Regardless of what comes to mind, countless passersby ask themselves the same question: What's it like on the inside?

Soon, they'll have an answer.

On Thursday, the church announced it will host a public open house, private tours, and a rededication ceremony after renovations wrap up this summer. The temple has been closed since March of 2018 for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other renovations.

"This temple is one of the premier temples of the church," said Brent Roberts, managing director of the church's Special Projects Department. "The renovation that we're going through right now, and that we'll soon complete, will allow the temple to function for many years to come."

A public open house will be held from Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 (except for Sept. 27, Oct. 3-4, 11, 18, and 25).

Private tours will take place Sept. 16 through 23. The rededication of the temple will be held in three sessions on Dec. 13.

"For decades, millions of people have driven by or passed the Washington D.C. Temple. It has become an iconic part of the D.C. beltway," said Aaron Sherinian, a longtime resident and volunteer public affairs media specialist for the church. "This fall, the temple can become an iconic part of people's lives in a new way. We invite people everywhere to join us inside the temple, to learn more about why it is so much more than a building and to feel the promise of peace it holds."

Last time The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Kensington was open to the public was in 1974 — when the temple was built.

"The Washington D.C. Temple open house is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come and see for yourself what takes place inside these sacred spaces," said Anne Golightly, local public affairs director for the church. "We want everyone to feel welcome."

The church in Kensington, like all Mormon churches, doesn't open its doors to anyone. For members, the temple is the most sacred place of worship and is where weddings and other special ceremonies are held. That means non-Mormons aren't allowed inside. Only Mormons who obtain a Temple recommend — a card signed by a church leader proving that a worshipper is in good standing with the church — are allowed inside.

The church believes the religion was founded by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830, in western New York. Smith stated he had been visited by an ancient prophet named Moroni who spoke to him about a holy text buried in a hill near Palmyra, New York. Smith is believed to have taken the record and translated it.

The Book of Mormon, which was first published in 1830, "contains religious writings of civilizations in ancient America between about 2200 B.C. and A.D. 421," the church said.

The religion has since exploded in popularity.

The church says it now has 81 churches and more than 6,681,800 church members in the United States.

Renderings of the church in Kensington can be found below: