The Mesa Arizona Temple was announced on October 3, 2019. The site was dedicated on November 28, 1921, by Heber J. Grant, followed by the groundbreaking on April 25, 1922. The temple was dedicated from October 23 to 26, 1927, again by Heber J. Grant. An open house was held from March 19 to April 3, 1975, and the temple was dedicated on April 15 and 16, 1975, by Spencer W. Kimball. The recent public open house took place from October 16 to November 20, 2021, leading to the rededication on December 12, 2021, by Dallin H. Oaks.
The temple features a flat roof with sculpted friezes and includes four instruction rooms, six sealing rooms, and one baptistery, covering 75,000 square feet. It stands 53 feet tall at an elevation of 1,240 feet and is situated on 20 acres, with an exterior made of concrete reinforced with 130 tons of steel and faced with glazed, eggshell-colored terracotta tiles.
Located east of the original Mesa Townsite, the temple anchors a historic district that has retained its residential character. The grounds include a visitors’ center, a cactus garden, and reflection pools. Each Easter, the temple hosts “Jesus the Christ,” the largest outdoor Easter pageant, while the Christmas season features a Nativity display with extensive lighting.
The Mesa Arizona Temple was the first temple in Arizona and the first to present the endowment in a non-English language. It was also the first to reopen for an open house prior to rededication and was originally called the Arizona Temple.
Each corner of the temple is adorned with carved friezes depicting the gathering of the Lord’s people. In February 1974, extensive renovations began, updating the Creation, Garden, and World Rooms for film presentations of the endowment and converting the Terrestrial Room into a veil room. Burlap murals were removed for preservation, and the temple was expanded by 17,000 square feet. In 1980, a fourth ordinance room was added, allowing for more frequent endowment sessions. Parts of the original murals were restored in 1991.
On May 19, 2018, the temple closed for a three-and-a-half-year renovation that included new roofing, drainage systems, and upgrades to mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. The interior received improvements to maintain its historical character, while grounds were enhanced to better accommodate the annual Easter Pageant. A new visitors’ center and Family Discovery Center were also constructed.