Groundbreaking of the Cobán Guatemala Temple
The groundbreaking of the Cobán Guatemala Temple was presided over by Elder Brian K. Taylor, Central America Area president, on Nov. 14, 2020. COVID-19 restrictions limited attendance to only a small group of people, including Monsignor Rodolfo Valenzuela Nuñez, Bishop of the Diocese of Verapaz.
There was initially uncertainty as to if the groundbreaking ceremony could proceed as planned because of the arrival of Hurricane Eta a week before, causing more than 100 deaths. In his dedicatory prayer on the site, Elder Taylor said, “Endow all Thy Saints, we pray dear Father, with an extraordinary love for and brightened hope in Thy Sanctuary as a mighty Refuge from the storm.”
The Cobán Guatemala Temple is scheduled to be dedicated June 9, 2024, by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Timeline of the Cobán Guatemala Temple
The Cobán Guatemala Temple was announced Oct. 5, 2019, by Church President Russell M. Nelson. The groundbreaking and site dedication were held on Nov. 14, 2020, and presided over by Elder Brian K. Taylor, Central America Area president.
After a public open house from April 25 to May 11, 2024, the Cobán Guatemala Temple will be dedicated June 9, 2024, by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Architecture and Design of the Cobán Guatemala Temple
The Cobán Guatemala Temple will be a single-story building of approximately 8,800 square feet. Plans and exterior renderings call for an arched entryway above the temple’s entry doors with two windows on each side of the front entrance. An octagonal tower with a square base and domed cupola will sit above the entrance.
The house of the Lord will be built on a 5.4-acre site, with palm trees, grass fields and oblong sidewalks filling the grounds. The site will also contain a meetinghouse and temple patron housing.
Groundbreaking Photos of the Cobán Guatemala Temple
