Latter-day Saints in Connecticut are watching closely the construction progress of that state’s first Mormon temple.
A significant milestone of the progress is in the placement of the angel Moroni on the top of the temple’s lone spire. That moment occurred the morning of Friday, December 11, 2015.
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
- Hartford CN Temple Moroni
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
See a video of the angel Moroni statue placed on the spire of the temple.
Some of the construction personnel working on the temple weren’t aware that the angel Moroni would be lifted in place on this day. Feeling the excitement of the occasion, several of them got a little teary-eyed as they watched the statue being pulled from the shipping crate. Many were close enough to snap photos of the statue.
As the statue was being maneuvered out of its crate by a crane the gold leaf statue started swinging back and forth. Portia Corbett, president of the Farmington Historical Society and not a member of the Mormon faith, said, “Look at the way his trumpet is sounding to the world.”
The statue of Moroni is not a figure of worship, but rather one of respect for his role in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Moroni was a real person, an ancient prophet in the Book of Mormon who revealed the location of golden plates to the young Joseph Smith in 1823 from which the sacred book of scripture was translated.
With the horn pressed to his lips and his right hand holding the outstretched horn, the statue of Moroni symbolizes the preaching of the gospel to the world. The angel Moroni, now on the Hartford Temple, is just over 13 feet tall and weighs approximately 1,000 pounds.
People driving past the temple site stopped to watch the angel Moroni being hoisted higher and higher to the top of the temple. Neighbors came out of their homes to take pictures and videos of the event.
The temple was announced in October of 2010 and ground was broken by President Thomas S. Monson for the 37,246-square-foot sacred edifice on August 17, 2013.
Once the temple is completed the public will have an opportunity to participate in a free tour during the open house period. The dedication will be announced at a future date.
A local TV station, NBC Connecticut Television, captured the event.