Overview[]
The Bern Switzerland Temple (formerly the Swiss Temple) is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was the first LDS temple to be built in Europe and the first to be built outside of the United States and Canada.
The 7 acre lot was selected in Template:Nowrap by LDS Church president David O. McKay and Samuel E. Bringhurst, then president of the Swiss-Austrian Mission. The architects were Edward O. Anderson and Wilhelm Zimmer. Groundbreaking and dedication of the lot were performed by David O. McKay on 5 August 1953. He dedicated the temple on 11 September 1955. The temple was known as the "Swiss Temple" until the current naming convention for temples was adopted in the late 1990s.
Layout[]
The Bern Switzerland temple has four ordinance rooms, seven sealing rooms, and a total floor area of Template:Convert. It's temple district includes stakes in Albania, France, Italy, Switzerland, and the district in Jerusalem, Israel.[1]
The presentation of the Endowment was particularly challenging in this temple, because it was the first international one, requiring many different languages for its attendants. It was solved by using a film, dubbed in all required languages. Gordon B. Hinckley supervised the initial making of this film and was the person responsible for transporting the film to Switzerland.[2] Since then all new temples have been equipped with recordings in lieu of live presentations by temple workers. Today, only the Manti Utah Temple and the Salt Lake Temple use live presentation instead of film.
After complete renewal of the interior, the temple was rededicated by Gordon B. Hinckley on 23 October 1992.
In connection with the fiftieth anniversary of its dedication, a Template:Convert statue of the angel Moroni was erected on top of the tower on 7 September 2005.
The Bern Switzerland temple is featured briefly in the Woodkid music videos for "Iron" and "Run Boy Run".
Temple District[]
The Bern Switzerland Temple serves members from 8 stakes and 1 district headquartered in Switzerland, France, and Israel:
Switzerland[]
- Bern Switzerland Stake
- Geneva Switzerland Stake
- Lausanne Switzerland Stake
- St Gallen Switzerland Stake
- Zurich Switzerland Stake
France[]
Israel[]
- Jerusalem District
Presidents[]
- Louis Weidmann 2020–
- Pierre M. Brenders 2017–2020
- Frederik F. Psota 2014–2017
- Horst-Dieter Sperling 2011–2014
- Raimondo Castellani 2008–2011
- Wayne M. Hancock 2005–2008
- Roland R. Dätwyler 2002–2005
- Gary L. Schwendiman 1999–2002
- Georg J. Birsfelder 1996–1999
- Mario V. Vaira 1993–1996
- Louis E. Ringger 1988–1993
- Carl W. Ringger 1984–1988
- Stanley D. Rees 1981–1984
- Percy K. Fetzer 1977–1981
- Immo Luschin von Ebengreuth 1972–1977
- Charles Grob 1969–1972
- Walter E. Trauffer 1957–1969
- Samuel E. Bringhurst 1955–1957
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ Bern Switzerland Temple District
- ↑ Go Forward with Faith: A Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley - By Sheri Dew
Bern Switzerland Temple[]
The Bern Switzerland Temple is the 9th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (LDS Church) and the 1st temple completed in mainland Europe. A truly international temple of the presentation of temple ordinances in multiple languages.