View source for Caracas Venezuela Temple

{{ LDS Temple/Caracas Venezuela Temple | format=Infobox LDS Temple }}
The '''Caracas Venezuela Temple''' is the 96th operating [[Temple (LDS Church)|temple]] of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church).

==History==
In 1995, LDS Church president [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] announced plans to construct an LDS temple in [[Venezuela]]. Immediately following that announcement, a search was conducted to find a suitable site on which to build. Several properties were considered over the next eighteen months but none was chosen. It was finally decided the temple would be built in the city of [[Caracas]] on land that the church already owned.<ref>"Choosing the Land", by Flora Ruscitti {{Clarify|date=June 2010}} <!-- what publication, date, publisher? --></ref> The groundbreaking of the Caracas Venezuela Temple took place in 1999.

Unexpected obstacles occurred during the construction of the temple. When digging the foundation, excavators discovered an underground spring. When the water was diverted, the excavation continued. However, the digging caused two major landslides. The first landslide did not cause any damage, but the second did. Eight tons of earth and materials were shifted in the slide. Despite these setbacks, the work was completed in just over a year and a half.

When Hinckley dedicated the temple on August 20, 2000, nearly six thousand members of the LDS Church were in attendance.<ref>{{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2000-08-26/caracas-venezuela-this-most-significant-gift-from-thee-18247 |title= Caracas Venezuela: 'This most significant gift from Thee' |date= Aug 26, 2000 |newspaper= [[Church News]] }}</ref> The Caracas Venezuela Temple has a total of {{convert|15332|sqft|m2}}, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.<ref>{{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2000-08-26/caracas-venezuela-temple-facts-and-figures-18245 |title= Facts and figures: Caracas Venezuela Temple |date= Aug 26, 2000 |newspaper= Church News }}</ref>

In 2020, the Caracas Venezuela Temple was closed temporarily during the year in response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic|coronavirus pandemic]].<ref>Stack, Peggy Fletcher. [https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/03/26/all-latter-day-saint/ "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus"], ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]'', 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|LDS Church}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size: 85%;"
|-
|{{LDS Temple Map Colombia}}
({{edit|1=Template:LDS Temple Map Colombia}})<br/>
[[File:{{LDSmap|status=Operating}}|10px|link=]] = Operating<br/>
[[File:{{LDSmap|status=Under construction}}|10px|link=]] = Under construction<br/>
[[File:{{LDSmap|status=Announced}}|10px|link=]] = Announced<br/>
[[File:{{LDSmap|status=Temporarily closed}}|10px|link=]] = Temporarily Closed
|}
* [[Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
* [[List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
* [[List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region]]
* [[Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)]]
* [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Additional reading==
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2000-08-26/venezuela-saints-rejoicing-at-new-caracas-temple-18244 |title= Venezuela saints rejoicing at new Caracas temple |first= Jason |last= Swensen |date= Aug 26, 2000 |newspaper= [[Church News]] }}
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2000-10-28/caracus-city-of-eternal-vision-promise-18663 |title= Caracus, city of eternal vision, promise |first= Jason |last= Swensen |date= Oct 28, 2000 |newspaper= Church News }}
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2003-01-25/church-leaders-work-to-buoy-members-spirits-22976 |title= Church leaders work to buoy members' spirits: Strife in Venezuela causing political divisiveness |first= Jason |last= Swensen |date= Jan 25, 2003 |newspaper= Church News }}
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2010-02-01/country-information-venezuela-35004 |title= Country information: Venezuela |date= Feb 1, 2010 |newspaper= Church News }}
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2012-08-04/worth-every-sacrifice-38636 |title= 'Worth every sacrifice' |date= Aug 4, 2012 |newspaper= Church News }}
* {{citation |url= https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2012-06-16/journey-to-the-temple-38504 |title= Journey to the temple |first= Sarah Jane |last= Weaver |date= June 16, 2012 |newspaper= Church News }}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/list?lang=eng Official Caracas Venezuela Temple page]
* [https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/caracas-venezuela-temple/ Caracas Venezuela Temple page]
* [http://www.mission.net/venezuela/caracas/stories.php?sID=347 The Caracas D. F. Venezuela Temple] a brief history from announcement to dedication by Erin Howarth

{{LDS-South-America}}
{{Caracas landmarks}}

[[Category:20th-century Latter Day Saint temples]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Caracas]]
[[Category:Temples (LDS Church) completed in 2000]]
[[Category:Temples (LDS Church) in South America]]
[[Category:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela]]
[[Category:2000 establishments in Venezuela]]
[[Category:Temples in Venezuela]]