Latter-day Saint leaders are preparing to take the first cautious steps toward a return to performing temple ordinances for deceased ancestors.
It’s been nine months since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a temporary suspension of what are called proxy ordinances in the 168 temples around the world operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City.
On Monday, church leaders announced that temple work for the dead may resume as soon as Dec. 21 on a by-appointment basis at four temples in Nuku’alofa, Tonga; Brisbane, Australia; Apia, Samoa; and Taipei, Taiwan.
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suspended all proxy ordinances on March 13, shortly after the World Health Organization proclaimed the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
“The church has taken the pandemic seriously from the beginning,” said Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “We closed all temples. Now, we’re opening them cautiously, in phases, to minimize the risk to temple ordinance workers, patrons and communities.”
Church leaders closed all temples completely on March 25, but they began a phased reopening of temples in May for ordinances for living persons. Reopening for proxy work is Phase 3.
Elder Renlund said church leaders are beginning Phase 3 with a handful of temples in areas where the number of cases of COVID-19 is low and temple ordinances can meet public health guidelines. For example, Tonga, which initially closed its borders, has not had a single reported case of COVID-19. Samoa has had two cases, according to the WHO database.
“We will carefully expand temple operations based on criteria that indicate that it’s safe to do so,” Elder Renlund said.
He also noted that the process could be a long one. In fact, it has taken seven months to reach Phase 3 for the first time.
“We should not anticipate that these phases of temple worship will be short-lived,” he said.
Elder Renlund made those statements in one of three videos released by the church on Monday, each featuring an apostle speaking about temples.
Elder Renlund, who said he was speaking as an apostle and not a retired cardiologist, characterized COVID-19 as serious and said its consequences are not yet fully understood. Church leaders will require familiar pandemic precautions as proxy work resumes.
“As it relates to this pandemic, especially in temples, that means social distancing, wearing a mask and not gathering in large groups,” he said. “These steps demonstrate our love for others and provide us a measure of protection. Wearing a face covering is a sign of Christlike love for our brothers and sisters.”
Church leaders launched a four-phase reopening of temples on May 11, when the first 17 temples reopened for limited ordinances for the living.
All but two of the church’s 168 temples not under renovation have opened on a limited basis since then.
Today:
- 115 temples are in Phase 2, performing all living ordinances by appointment in small groups.
- 29 temples are in Phase 1, performing only husband-and-wife marriage sealings by appointment with minimum staff and guests.
- 14 temples have reopened but are on pause again due to increased cases of COVID-19.
- Two temples have yet to open at all, the Kyiv Ukraine Temple and Panama City Panama Temple.
- Eight temples are under renovation.
Thousands of Latter-day Saints have married, been sealed to children or received endowments in Phase 1 and 2 since May, but the ongoing restrictions have eliminated all proxy work for deceased ancestors, which represents the majority of temple attendance. Many members have continued to do temple work at home, researching their family histories and preparing their ancestors’ names for temple ordinances. Many church members yearn to return to the temple and have been visiting temple grounds and temple parking lots to be close to one.
Phase 3 permits all living and proxy ordinances by appointment. The number of visitors and temple workers will remain smaller than normal and temple schedules will remain limited with attendance by appointment only.
Monday’s news thrilled Heta Pohiva, who with her husband, Samuela, has prepared his parents’ names to take to the temple so he can be sealed to them. When they saw the announcement, they immediately reached out to the Nuku’alofa Temple president, who said they would be able to do the ordinances during Phase 3.
“I saw it on President Nelson’s Instagram account and I was so excited,” said Heta Pohiva, the temple and family history consultant for the Nuku’alofa Tonga North Stake. “Even though Tonga is COVID-free, there was a sense of peace knowing that we can return to the temple for comfort and peace during this time.”
Phase 4 is the resumption of all normal operations, including cafeterias and patron housing.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson fully outlined the precautions in a video about Phase 3 and asked for patience.
Temple workers will ask patrons about COVID-19 symptoms three times — when they schedule an appointment, in a subsequent email before the appointment and when they arrive at the temple, he said.
Face masks will be required throughout a temple visit except during baptisms. Patrons should bring their own temple clothing.
Groups will be limited to 16 people or fewer in the baptistry and endowment sessions will be capped at 30% of room capacity, with physical distancing.
The church has launched a new online tool to reserve ordinances for temples in Phase 3 at temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Priority will be given to those seeking living ordinances.
Elder Stevenson said some areas will not have the online tool immediately available, but appointments can still be made with a temple by email or phone.
“The temple is the house of the Lord, where holy ordinances are performed and sacred, meaningful worship takes place,” he said. “As you faithfully adhere with happy, cheerful hearts to (these adjustments), you’ll be blessed, uplifted and strengthened.”
Each temple is considered a house of the Lord by Latter-day Saints. They are distinct from meetinghouses where members worship each Sunday.
The ordinances provide strength and allow families to be sealed together forever, said Elder David A. Bednar in a video.
“The essence of the Lord’s work is changing, turning and purifying hearts through gospel covenants and priesthood ordinances,” he said, saying that he rejoiced with members over the reopening of “his holy house.”
Additional precautions the church will take include sealers maintaining physical distance from witnesses during sealings, which will be kept to a small number of patrons.
Temples also will not print name cards for temple patrons. This must be done before a member arrives at a temple. Temple staff will record information about performed ordinances in FamilySearch. Name cards will not be returned to patrons.
“Returning to the temples is something we have prayed for and looked forward to with great anticipation,” Elder Bednar said. “We rejoice in the opportunity to again serve and worship in holy temples, even if our experience will be different because of constraining circumstances and additional sacrifices we are asked to make.”