The Antofagasta Chile Temple Opens Its Doors to the Public 

The Antofagasta Chile Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began its open house with a news conference on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Elder Craig C. Christensen from the Temple Department and the South America South Area Presidency, Elders Joaquín E. Costa, Alan R. Walker and Eduardo Gavarret, guided the media and special guests through the temple’s interior. Free tours for the general public will begin on Wednesday, May 14, and continue through Saturday, May 24, except on Sundays.

“I have a very personal connection with Chile. I arrived here as a missionary 48 years ago, when there were only 30,000 members. Today, [there] are more than 600,000 in the country, with congregations throughout the territory,” said Elder Christensen.

He continued, “Temples are the house of the Lord, sacred places where we learn about God’s plan, perform ordinances for ourselves and our ancestors, and feel a deep reverence. This temple represents the sacrifice of millions of members worldwide, and we are happy to share it with the community during this open house.”

Among the attendees was a pioneer member of the Church of Jesus Christ in Antofagasta, who shared her testimony:

I first learned about the Church of Jesus Christ 51 years ago when I was 15. I came to Antofagasta to study social work, and even back then, we only dreamed of having a temple here. The missionaries talked to us about temples, and we saw only 16 worldwide; it seemed distant, almost unattainable.

With sacrifice and faith, I traveled in 1979 to the São Paulo Temple in Brazil, the first in South America. There, I understood more deeply my divine identity, the purpose of my life, and how to see each person as a child of God. Since then, I have worked for 47 years as a social worker in this city, and seeing a temple in Antofagasta now is a blessing that confirms that dreams, when guided by the Lord, come true.

About the Antofagasta Chile Temple

The Antofagasta Chile Temple was announced in April 2019 by Church President Russell M. Nelson. “We regard a temple as the most sacred structure in the Church. As we announce plans to construct a new temple, it becomes part of our sacred history.”

Construction for the temple began in November 2020.

The Antofagasta Chile Temple will be the country’s third dedicated house of the Lord, joining temples in Concepción and Santiago. Other temples announced or in planning and construction phases in Chile are  Santiago West, Puerto Montt and Viña del Mar.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple on Sunday, June 15, 2025. The dedicatory session will be broadcast to all congregations in the area.

Latter-day Saints consider each temple a house of the Lord and the most sacred place of worship on earth. Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses (chapels). All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses. The primary purpose of temples is for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ to participate in sacred ceremonies such as marriages, which unite families forever, and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living.