President Thomas S. Monson will preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rome Italy Temple on Saturday, October 23, 2010, where an architectural rendering of the temple will be revealed.
Attendance is strictly limited to invited priesthood leaders and special guests. However, the proceedings of the ceremony will be rebroadcast to every chapel in Italy on Sunday, October 24, so that all may participate.
A beautiful complex of buildings has been designed that includes the temple, a stake center, a visitors' center, and a patron housing facility. Although just a small section of the site was originally permitted for construction of the temple, recent zoning modifications—a miracle in itself—allow the entire parcel of land to be used for construction of these buildings.
Building sites in Rome must be examined for Roman ruins before construction is permitted. The inspection is carried out by digging trenches every 10 to 15 feet across the property. The day the temple property was to be inspected, Church members in Rome held a special fast. No ruins were found over the entire property, yet an old Roman village was discovered just 100 yards beyond the property boundary line.
We are so thrilled for this announcement and the fact that Robert will be in Italy for such a wonderful occasion. Mostly we are thankful to the Lord for his tender mercies and for the great blessing that this temple will be to the the people of Italy (and surrounding areas).
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