Boston Massachusetts Temple

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The Boston Massachusetts Temple is the 100th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Mormon Church dedicated its 100th temple in Belmont, Massachusetts on 1 October 2000. When Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley had announced the building of small temples in April 1998, he also spoke of a goal to have 100 temples built by the end of the year 2000. The Boston Massachusetts Temple marked the completion of that goal.

Elder Richard G. Scott, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided over the groundbreaking on 13 June 1997, and the building was completed three years later. The open house of the 100th Mormon temple captured both media and public attention. About 82,600 visitors toured the temple prior to its dedication. A local radio station and newspaper working together produced the first on-line tours of a temple. It included narration accompanied by photographs of the temple's interior.

Because of a lawsuit filed by neighbors of the temple site, the Boston Massachusetts Temple was dedicated without the planned steeple. President Hinckley remained optimistic and said the temple work would commence with or without a steeple. His optimism was rewarded when the Supreme Court of Massachusetts ruled in favor of the Church the following May. Previously, a judge had ruled that the building's steeple was not a "necessary element of the Mormon religion." Therefore, under the law the building height limit could be enforced. But the Supreme Court overruled the earlier ruling saying, "A rose window at Notre Dame Cathedral, a balcony at St. Peter's Basilica, are judges to decide whether these architectural elements are 'necessary' to the faith served by those buildings?" The judges concluded that, "It is not for judges to determine whether the inclusion of a particular architectural feature is 'necessary' for a particular religion." [2] On September 21, 2001 the steeple with the famous angel Moroni was set in place, completing the temple.

The Boston Massachusetts Temple is relatively large with a total of 69,600 square feet, four ordinance rooms, and four sealing rooms. The exterior is finished with olympia white granite.