See First Official Photos Inside Haiti's First Temple + Open House Begins

The public open house, free of charge, will begin Thursday, August 8, 2019, and run through Saturday, August 17, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., except for Sunday, August 11. Hours on Saturdays are 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The decor colors used in the 10,396-square-foot temple includes blue, green and gold, with a stylized palm-leaf pattern throughout. Palm leaves are used as a symbol of Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The carpet pattern represents the island’s lush vegetation, with vivid turquoise blue and lime green representing the ocean. The carpet includes designs of the hibiscus, Haiti’s national flower, and an array of vegetation, palm leaves and tropical flowers.

As lighting is a vital element of all temples, Swarovski crystal from Austria was used in the sealing and celestial rooms. Italamp fixtures and Venetian hand-blown glass from Italy were used in the bride’s room, and brass with white acrylic fittings was used throughout the temple.

Latter-day Saint membership in Haiti has steadily grown since 1977 when Alexandre Mourra, a prominent Haitian businessman of Jewish-Arabic descent, was visiting his cousin’s business and noticed his cousin’s wife reading the Book of Mormon. Interested in the book, he wrote to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City to get his own copy. When he received the book, he read it in one sitting. Touched by this experience and his newfound testimony, Alexandre flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was baptized in July 1977, making him the first Haitian member of the Church.

On August 13, 1980, the Haitian government gave official recognition to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Two months later, the first branch of the Church was established in Port-au-Prince with Alexandre Mourra as its president.

Today, there are more than 23,000 members of the Church in Haiti, five stakes (a group of congregations), 26 congregations, 20 branches (smaller congregations) and one mission, the Haiti Port-au-Prince Mission.

After the open house, the temple will be dedicated on Sunday, September 1, 2019; a youth devotional will be held Saturday, August 31. The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple will be the 165th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Temples of the Church differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered houses of the Lord where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.