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The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple was dedicated by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sept. 1, 2019. As he stepped out of the temple, a choir of Haitian Church members, excited for the first house of the Lord to be built in their country, sang “The Morning Breaks” in French.
“You sang that magnificently,” said the Apostle, then he offered a minor change in the first verse’s lyrics: “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on the world” was updated to “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on Haiti.”
Elder Bednar was joined at the three dedication sessions by several other general authorities of the Church, including Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department; and the Caribbean Area Presidency — Elder Jose L. Alonso, Elder Eduardo Gavarret and Elder Jorge M. Alvarado.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Heavenly Father, we pray that this holy temple will be a beacon of light and truth to the nation of Haiti. Please bless the people of this land with peace, with an appreciation for their legacy of liberty, with stability, and with a curiosity about and an interest in the restored gospel of Thy Beloved Son. May the lives of these good men, women and children always be under Thine infinite protection.”
Read the dedicatory prayer for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple.
A temple for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was announced on April 5, 2015, in April 2015 general conference by Church President Thomas S. Monson. It was announced with two other temples: the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple and the Bangkok Thailand Temple.
Elder Walter F. González, president of the Caribbean Area, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Port-au-Prince temple on Oct. 28, 2017. Elder González was joined by his counselors, Elder Claudio D. Zivic and Elder Jose L. Alonso.
The public was invited to tour the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple from Aug. 8 through Aug. 17, 2019. Those who attended were able to walk through the rooms of the building and learn more about how temples bless communities and individuals.
The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple was dedicated on Sept. 1, 2019. The house of the Lord was dedicated in three sessions by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Church President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 5, 2015, in April 2015 general conference. Elder Walter F. González, president of the Caribbean Area, later presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for this house of the Lord on Oct. 28, 2017.
After the temple’s construction, the temple was open to the public for tours from Aug. 8 through Aug. 17, 2019. The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple was dedicated on Sept. 1, 2019, in three sessions by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple is a 10,396-square-foot edifice encircled by tropical gardens and palm trees. The interior of the edifice is decorated with Swarovski crystal from Austria, used in the light fixtures, and Venetian hand-blown glass from Italy, used in the bride’s room.
Both palm leaves and hibiscus flowers are prevalent symbols throughout the temple, such as in the carpet and the art glass. These two plants pay homage to the Savior and respect to Haiti, as the palm leaves represent Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and the hibiscus is Haiti’s national flower.
5 April 2015
1 September 2019
Route de Frères, Frères 23
Impasse Saint-Marc # 20 & 22, HT
Port-au-Prince
Haiti
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Haiti.
In 1983, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles traveled to a point overlooking Port-au-Prince and dedicated the country of Haiti for the preaching of the gospel. Around 32 years later, as President of the Church, he announced a temple for the same city.
When a local Latter-day Saint choir sang “The Morning Breaks” as Elder David A. Bednar exited the temple after a dedicatory session, the Apostle encouraged them to sing the hymn again but to modify the hymn’s traditional ending, singing, “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on Haiti” instead of “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on the world.”
Despite its proximity to a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti on Aug. 14, 2021, the Port-au-Prince temple remained undamaged by the tremor.
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Haiti.
In 1983, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles traveled to a point overlooking Port-au-Prince and dedicated the country of Haiti for the preaching of the gospel. Around 32 years later, as President of the Church, he announced a temple for the same city.
When a local Latter-day Saint choir sang “The Morning Breaks” as Elder David A. Bednar exited the temple after a dedicatory session, the Apostle encouraged them to sing the hymn again but to modify the hymn’s traditional ending, singing, “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on Haiti” instead of “The dawning of a brighter day / Majestic rises on the world.”
Despite its proximity to a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti on Aug. 14, 2021, the Port-au-Prince temple remained undamaged by the tremor.
