1 / 2

Download Photos

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Cleveland Ohio Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, August 16, 2026,

On the same day, Church President Dallin H. Oaks dedicated the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.

“A temple is a point of intersection between heaven and earth,” Elder Bednar said following the single dedicatory session on Sunday morning, which was broadcast to Church meetinghouses throughout the temple district and rebroadcast later in the afternoon.

“I cannot imagine a more important blessing than having greater access to the power of godliness through the ordinances of the temple,” he said, noting the significant sacrifices Latter-day Saints in many parts of the world and in the Church’s history have made to attend the temple at least once in their lifetimes.

Whenever a temple is nearby, “we have to be intentional and not let the ease of proximity become a barrier to receiving the blessings that we need in our lives,” he added.

The Cleveland Ohio Temple is located in northeastern Ohio about 20 miles southwest of the historic Kirtland Temple, which was dedicated in 1836 but is now one of the Church’s historic sites open for daily tours to the public.

The Kirtland Temple was a key site in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, said Elder Kyle S. McKay, Church Historian and Recorder. “Kirtland represents a little bit of a promise and a beginning, and I think Cleveland can represent a fulfillment of that promise or a continuation of that hope and promise.”

The Cleveland temple is the second dedicated house of the Lord in the state. The Columbus Ohio Temple, located 125 miles from Cleveland, was dedicated in 1999, and the Cincinnati Ohio Temple was announced in April 2024.

The Church’s 221st operating temple will serve the more than 12,000 Latter-day Saints in the Cleveland, Akron, Hiram and Kirtland stakes.

Elder Bednar was accompanied by his wife, Susan; Elder K. Brett Nattress, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Shawna; Elder Mark D. Eddy, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Annette; Elder Alan T. Phillips, General Authority Seventy and member of the Church’s United States Northeast Area Presidency, and his wife, Lindsey; and Bishop Sean Douglas, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and his wife, Ann.

Cleveland-Ohio-Temple-Dedication
From left, Bishop Sean Douglas of the Presiding Bishopric, and his wife, Ann; Elder Mark D. Eddy, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Annette; Elder David A. Bednar and his wife, Susan; Elder K. Brett Nattress, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Shawna; and Elder Alan T. Phillips, of the United States Northeast Area Presidency and his wife, Lindsey, on August 15, 2026.

Thousands of people attended the public open house between June 18 and July 3. During this time, the Church received four separate proclamations of support in recognition of the temple’s opening from the Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb.

1 / 2

Download Photos

“The establishment of the Cleveland Ohio Temple reflects the continued growth and dedication of the Church and its members, whose contributions have enriched communities across our state through service, volunteerism, and civic engagement,” LaRose wrote in a certification of commendation.

The proclamation from Mayor Bibb states: “The Cleveland Ohio Temple represents a commitment to faith, community service, and the strengthening of families, principles that align with the shared goals of civic harmony and mutual respect in the City of Cleveland.”

Nearly 66,000 Latter-day Saints meet in almost 130 congregations across the state of Ohio.