The San Diego temple rededication took place Sunday, marking the return of one of Southern California’s most recognizable religious landmarks following an extensive multi-year renovation.

President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presided over the ceremony more than three decades after the building’s original dedication.

A Landmark Above the Freeway

The temple sits on a ridge overlooking Interstate 5 in San Diego’s La Jolla neighborhood, where its twin towers, surrounding spires and the statue of angel Moroni are visible to passing drivers. When President Gordon B. Hinckley originally dedicated the building in April 1993, as the church’s 45th temple worldwide, he remarked on its striking appearance.

Even while acknowledging that beauty, Hinckley used the occasion to redirect attention toward the building’s deeper purpose. He explained that regardless of a temple’s size or grandeur, the structure itself is not the point. Citing scripture, he tied the building’s meaning directly to the promise of salvation through Christ, describing that connection as the entire reason temples are built.

Christofferson Echoes That Message

More than 33 years later, Christofferson returned to that same theme during Sunday’s rededication.

He explained that because Christ is central to exaltation, it makes sense that temple ordinances are so closely tied to him. He described the San Diego temple, along with every Latter-day Saint temple, as a visible and tangible witness of the Redeemer’s living reality, noting that without the Atonement and Resurrection, the building would have no purpose at all.

Why the Temple Was Closed

The temple closed in July 2023 for extensive renovation work. Improvements included upgraded accessibility features, an overhauled heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and roof repairs.

Before Sunday’s rededication, the church held a public open house from June 18 through July 11, drawing close to 300,000 visitors eager to see the building’s interior.

Sunday’s Ceremony

Roughly 550 members gathered inside the temple for a single rededication session held at 11 a.m., which was broadcast to the 16 stakes across Southern California and southwest Arizona that make up the temple’s district.

This marked Christofferson’s second Southern California temple dedication of the summer. He had previously dedicated the Yorba Linda California Temple in Orange County in June.

A Community Icon

Drew Page, who coordinated the open house and dedication alongside his wife, Linda Page, described the temple’s status as a genuine community landmark. Local news broadcasts use it as a visual reference point for traffic reports, and it appears in a mural depicting San Diego County. Longtime residents often refer to it informally as “the castle.”

Linda Page said the open house drew many visitors who had passed the building for decades without ever seeing inside, describing a strong curiosity that had built up over more than 33 years.

Roots Going Back to the Mormon Battalion

The church’s presence in San Diego traces back to the earliest years of the Restoration, when the U.S. government recruited Latter-day Saints who were migrating west after fleeing persecution in Nauvoo, Illinois.

That group, known as the Mormon Battalion, marched close to 2,000 miles from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to San Diego. Although the battalion never saw combat, its members mapped routes and gathered information that proved important to the later settlement of the Southwest.

When the battalion reached San Diego in January 1847, most members were discharged and traveled on to Utah to reunite with their families. Company B remained behind, building sidewalks, digging wells, constructing the courthouse and contributing to the young community’s development. A small number of Latter-day Saints stayed permanently in California, planting roots that would grow substantially over the following decades.

By 1893, the year the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, California had approximately 80 church members. That number climbed to more than 21,000 by 1930.

A Growing Presence Today

The San Diego temple is now one of nine operating temples in California. A Modesto temple is scheduled for dedication in November, with two additional California temples currently in planning stages.

Reflecting on the region’s history, Christofferson described the San Diego temple as a testament to the faith of many generations, expressing confidence that faithful generations would continue that legacy. He characterized the temple’s history as evidence of long-standing religious work in the area that continues accelerating.

San Diego Temple Facts

Address: 7474 Charmant Drive, San Diego, California 92122-5000
Announced: April 7, 1984, by the First Presidency under President Spencer W. Kimball
Groundbreaking: February 27, 1988, presided over by President Ezra Taft Benson
Original dedication: April 25, 1993, by President Gordon B. Hinckley
Renovation open house: June 18 through July 11, 2026, excluding Sundays
Rededication: August 23, 2026, by President D. Todd Christofferson
Property size: 7.2 acres
Building size: 58,005 square feet
Building height: 169 feet to the top of the spire