BARCELONA, Spain — Ground was broken Saturday, September 19, for the Barcelona Spain Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marking the start of construction on what is planned to become the Church’s second temple in Spain.
Elder James W. McConkie III, a General Authority Seventy and member of the Europe Central Area presidency, presided at the ceremony, which was livestreamed in Spanish, Catalan, French and English.
Approximately 500 community members, Latter-day Saints, religious leaders and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attended the groundbreaking in person. Josep Maria Vallès, mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, where the temple will be built, was also among those in attendance.
During his remarks, Elder McConkie spoke about the role of temples in Latter-day Saint worship and encouraged those attending to see the temple as a place where “heaven and earth intersect.”
Quoting from the 1836 dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple in Doctrine and Covenants 109, Elder McConkie reflected on members’ sacrifices in helping build houses of worship dedicated to God.
He emphasized that temples are centered on Jesus Christ and the covenants members make there.
“In temples, Jesus intends to directly engage His people,” Elder McConkie said, adding that the purpose of temples reflects the Church’s belief in the reality of Jesus Christ and His role in the lives of His followers.
He also described covenants as deeply personal and spiritually significant, noting that members believe God blesses those who make and keep sacred covenants.
Elder McConkie later offered a dedicatory prayer on the temple site and the construction process, recognizing the preparation and discipleship of local Church members. He prayed for those who would contribute to the project and asked that they understand the spiritual importance of their work.
The Barcelona Spain Temple was announced on April 3, 2022, by then-Church President Russell M. Nelson during general conference. It was one of 17 temples announced at the time.
Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 27,500 square feet. Patron housing, an arrival center and a distribution center are also planned for the 5.4-acre site northeast of the intersection of Avinguda de la Vía Augusta and Avinguda de la Clota in Sant Cugat del Vallès, north of Barcelona.
The temple will be located in Catalonia in northeastern Spain, about 60 miles from France.
Spain currently has one operating temple, the Madrid Spain Temple, which was dedicated in 1999. The Barcelona temple is the only other temple currently announced for the country.
About 72,000 Latter-day Saints live in Spain and worship in approximately 150 wards and branches.
The Church’s history in Spain dates to converts baptized during the 1950s and 1960s. The Church received legal recognition in Spain in October 1968, and four missionaries arrived in Madrid in June 1969 to begin formal missionary work.
The Spain Mission was organized in 1970 and later renamed the Spain Madrid Mission. The Church’s first meetinghouse built in Spain was dedicated in Madrid in 1977, and the country’s first stake was organized there in 1982.
The groundbreaking comes during the 50th anniversary year of the Spain Barcelona Mission, which was organized on May 8, 1976.
