Cebu Temple for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints completed

CEBU, Philippines - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) completed the construction of its temple in Cebu, their second in the Philippines or first outside Manila.

Members of the group held yesterday morning what they call the “temple cornerstone ceremony” at the new temple in Lahug, Cebu City. The ceremony marked the completion of the building, and is usually done before the structure is “dedicated.”

The Cebu City temple, their 133rd in the world, is meant to serve believers from the Visayas and Mindanao area.

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, temples are literally the “house of the Lord” so these are sacred buildings in which members receive instruction about “the purpose of life and their relationship to God.”

Their temple is made up of a number of rooms designed to accommodate certain functions such as marriages, baptisms, and other religious sessions. Only their members may enter after temples are dedicated, although open houses and public tours are done prior to their dedication.

The day before the ceremony or last June 12, more than 11,000 LDS members from all over Visayas and Mindanao held a cultural heritage show at the Cebu Coliseum.

They showcased the Filipinos’ rich heritage through dances from the pre-Spanish period, Spanish occupation, American occupation, World War II and the present day.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will commemorate their jubilee anniversary next year, their 50th year of formal presence in the Philippines. — THE FREEMAN