Latter-day Saint Pres. Nelson Dedicates Temple In Rome
Mar 11, 2019, 5:20 AM | Updated: 5:24 am
ROME, Italy — President Russell M. Nelson dedicated the 162nd temple belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sunday morning.
The temple is the first built in a land where ancient apostles preached.
For Italian Latter-day Saints, dreams of having a temple in their home country were finally realized.
The temple was announced in 2008, and work began in 2010. There were many unexpected challenges with the construction, and local members said seeing this temple completed is an answer to many prayers.
President Russell M. Nelson dedicated the Rome Italy Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 10, 2019.
“Rome is the middle of the world, and so we always prayed and fasted for the realization of the temple,” said Francesca, a convert to the faith in 1996. “We never give up.”
Church members with roots in Sicily are also rejoicing, seeing the many obstacles and delays in the construction of the temple as way for them to develop even more gratitude for it.
“Like Moses, they wait 40 years to have the temple, now Easter is coming and the temple is done and today is the dedication,” said Emanuele Guidara.
The Rome temple also changes everything for church members who live in nearby European Union countries.
Those members now have the ability to easily travel to attend a temple, said Luciano Fremu, a Latter-day Saint from Romania.
“(It’s) maybe the most important event in our church in Europe,” he said.
For Nelson, there were many sentimental moments knowing Latter-day Saints he has associated with for decades as an apostle finally have a temple of their own.
“So for me it was like a homecoming,” he said, “seeing family that you haven’t seen in a long time.”
The dedication services will continue on Monday and Tuesday, with more of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attending over the next two days.
