An Angel Moroni statue has been placed on the steeple of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
News and photos of the historic event were shared on the church’s Philippines’ Facebook page Tuesday and the memorable moment was witnessed by church leaders and members.
“Today marks an important milestone in the construction of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple,” the Facebook post said.
The Urdaneta Philippines Temple was one of five temples announced by President Thomas S. Monson at the church’s October general conference in 2010.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at the temple’s groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 16, 2019.
Angel Moroni statues were installed on the Layton Utah Temple in March and the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in May.
Why do some Latter-day Saint temples have an Angel Moroni statue and others don’t? The question is addressed on the church’s website.
“While the Angel Moroni statue occupies a prominent place on many temples throughout the world — symbolizing the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ — it is not a requirement of temple design,” it says on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. “Some temples may include the statue, while others may not.”