{"id":289707,"date":"2026-04-28T13:20:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T13:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/289707\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T13:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T13:20:16","slug":"new-latter-day-saints-temple-in-yorba-linda-opens-doors-for-tours-before-final-dedication-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/289707\/","title":{"rendered":"New Latter-day Saints temple in Yorba Linda opens doors for tours before final dedication \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSacred, not secret.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the next month or so, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is welcoming visitors to the 30,000-square-foot temple recently completed in Yorba Linda \u2014 only the ninth to be built in California<\/a> \u2014 before a dedication ceremony declares it a \u201chouse of the Lord\u201d and it becomes exclusive to members for special ceremonies and worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea is to keep this space as sacred as possible. Only members who have prepared themselves will be able to enter,\u201d Elder Mathias Held said during a Monday, April 27, temple tour, one of many that will be offered through June 7. \u201cBut before the temple is dedicated, we want as many people as possible to come here and see everything so that they understand what happens in these temples.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 185,000 people reserved tours in 2005 when the church\u2019s first temple in Orange County opened in Newport Beach, marveling at its architecture and workmanship, according to news reports at the time.<\/p>\n

The temples are not sanctuaries for regular Sunday services, but instead a sacred space for ceremonies such as sealing a marriage for eternity, performing proxy baptisms and teaching the Mormon faith.<\/p>\n

As Elder Takashi Wada put it: \u201cLife outside of the temple is busy, full of decisions, competition. People in here, we\u2019re all equal.\u201d<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t one large sanctuary in the temple, but instead a labyrinth of rooms, each about the size of a large living room, and each with a dedicated function.<\/p>\n

The baptistry \u2014 superlatives such as \u201cgrand\u201d and \u201cornate\u201d don\u2019t capture its magnitude \u2014 is one of the temple\u2019s core rooms, where members can get baptized, sometimes on behalf of their ancestors who died without undergoing the sacred ritual.<\/p>\n

A full-immersion baptismal font sits in the center of the room, raised at least 15 feet in the air and resting on the backs of 12 golden oxen, a scene \u201cas described in the Old Testament, representing the 12 tribes of Israel,\u201d Held said. Sunlight flooding through the room\u2019s towering glass windows illuminates the scene.<\/p>\n

Chrissy McClintock, a church member and Yorba Linda resident who toured last week with her family, called the new temple \u201cstriking\u201d \u2014 an impression made quickly upon \u201cjust first coming in the front door and seeing the grand painting of Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s by design, Held said. The painting looms in the center of the entrance, encased in a gold frame mounted on a wooden arch.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing that you will notice is Jesus Christ,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause he stands really at the center of everything that happens here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Visitors<\/p>\n

Visitors enter the new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The baptistry of the Yorba Linda California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the temple, faithful Latter-day Saints can be baptized on behalf of their deceased ancestors, who can choose whether to accept this baptism. (Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A sealing room inside the Yorba Linda California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A husband and wife who are sealed in the temple make sacred covenants with the Lord and with each other. These covenants assure them that their relationship will continue after this life if they are true to their commitments. (Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)\n<\/p>\n

\"Siblings<\/p>\n

Siblings Maxwell McClintock, left, Caroline McClintock and Margot McClintock, joins their parents, Chrissy and Brandon McClintock, during a briefing before the open house for the new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The baptistry of the Yorba Linda California Temple. In the temple, faithful Latter-day Saints can be baptized on behalf of their deceased ancestors, who can choose whether to accept this baptism. (Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)\n<\/p>\n

\"Chuck<\/p>\n

Chuck Henry leads a briefing before the open house for the new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Elder<\/p>\n

Elder Raymond Egbo speaks during a briefing before the open house for the new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The celestial room of the Yorba Linda California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The recommend desk of the Yorba Linda California Temple. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father and He has a plan for each of our lives. (Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 13<\/p>\n

Visitors enter the new Yorba Linda California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yorba Linda, CA, on Monday, April 27, 2026. The 30,000-square-foot temple is the second in Orange County and ninth in California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

The temple\u2019s artwork, all encased in golden frames, depicts scenes of deep reverence toward Christ or of the California landscape; most are prints, but the church enlisted some local artists for a few landscape portraits.<\/p>\n

The temple\u2019s blue stained-glass windows, floral details and hues of muted greens, brown and yellow throughout imitate California\u2019s natural palette, Held said. The temple\u2019s exterior also alludes to the region\u2019s historic Spanish mission architecture, with palm fronds adorning the exterior stone carvings and stained glass.<\/p>\n

Details are meant to depict \u201ca little bit of our passage through life,\u201d Held said.<\/p>\n

A Celestial Room symbolizes \u201cpassing from mortality to immortality,\u201d with chairs facing a central round table and a grand chandelier, designed to elicit introspection. Golden mirrors face each other, their reflections multiplying the chandelier\u2019s droplets into thousands, evoking the room\u2019s namesake and alluding to \u201ceternity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new temple will serve approximately 21,500 Latter-day Saints in north and central Orange County, as well as Norco, Corona, Chino, and into Whittier, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Pico Rivera and Santa Fe Springs.<\/p>\n

Temple tours are free and will be offered daily, excluding Sundays, through June 7. They will last about 30 minutes. For reservations, visit yorbalinacaliforniatemple.org.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cSacred, not secret.\u201d For the next month or so, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289708,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,179,6161,23,611,136,7537],"class_list":["post-289707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-community","tag-faith","tag-local-news","tag-orange-county","tag-top-stories","tag-yorba-linda"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=289707"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289707\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/289708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}