TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) — Government officials, interfaith leaders, presidents of higher learning institutions, and representatives from the military and police attended the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, January 18.
Elder Michael B. Strong of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints led the ceremony, marking the official commencement of construction on a new temple in Tacloban City.
Members of the church from the six provinces within the Eastern Visayas region gathered for the event.
Construction will occur on a 6.99-acre site along Tacloban Bypass Road in Brgy. Utap-Caibaan.
The two-storey building will cover 21,407-square feet and include an ancillary building featuring an arrival center, patron housing, and a distribution center.
In his message, Elder Strong expressed his sincere appreciation to all who attended the celebration, regardless of their religious affiliations.
I want to express my sincere appreciation to you as our friends. As I look here, I see pastors, and I see imams. I see leaders of other faiths, and I feel so grateful that you’re here with us,” Strong said.
Elder Strong believes that the involvement of interfaith leaders reflects a shared commitment among church leaders, regardless of their religious beliefs.
“When I see friends gather from other faiths, what I think about is that we have so much in common—we love God,” Strong added.
Board Member Wilson Uy of Leyte remarked that the temple will undoubtedly serve as a spiritual beacon for members of the church and the entire community.
The Tacloban City temple is the eighth of 13 temples in the country and the first in Eastern Visayas.
Temples are distinct from chapels, where members gather for Sunday worship services. A temple is considered a “House of the Lord,” where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through sacred practices such as marriage and baptism, among others.
From a handful of members in the 1960s, the Church now has more than 876,000 members nationwide. Currently, there are 35,000 members in Eastern Visayas, which is expected to increase once the temple is built. (CBA, PIA-8)
