1996 Dedication of the Hong Kong Temple
In July 1992, President Gordon B. Hinckley — then first counselor in the First Presidency — and others spent a day touring half a dozen possible sites for the Hong Kong Temple, but every location was too small and overpriced. That night, after “pleading with the Lord that He’d tell us what to do,” the Apostle went to sleep.
He awoke at 2 a.m. with an inspired idea to demolish the Hong Kong mission home and office and a nearby chapel to construct a multipurpose building. He then drew rough sketches for a building with a temple on the upper floors and other functions on lower floors.
Almost four years later, President Hinckley — then President of the Church — dedicated the Hong Kong Temple on May 26 to May 27, 1996. Seven dedicatory sessions were held for this house of the Lord, four on May 26 and three on May 27.
The Prophet was joined by his first counselor, President Thomas S. Monson; Elders Neal A. Maxwell and Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Elders Kwok Yuen Tai, John H. Groberg and Rulon G. Craven, General Authority Seventies and members of the Asia Area presidency. President Hinckley and President Monson took turns conducting the dedicatory sessions and alternated giving the dedicatory prayer.
President Hinckley commented about “the wonderful opportunity” he had over the years to work “among these marvelous Chinese people — the sons and daughters of God.” He reflected on the fact that when he first came to Hong Kong and the other parts of Asia, the Church didn’t own property, except for a small branch meetinghouse in Japan. In the dedicatory prayer he offered at the first dedicatory session, he noted that the Church in this area “now comes to full maturity with the dedication of this sacred temple.” At the time of dedication, there were some 20,000 members of the Church in five stakes in Hong Kong.
“This is a very emotional time for me,” President Hinckley said as he prepared to dedicate the temple.
President Monson told the Church News: “The spirit of the Saints there in the temple was a marvel to behold. They love the temple and have waited a long time for it. They are very anxious for it to open. With all the great numbers of Chinese people who have gone on in the years past — this being one of the ancient civilizations — surely there is no dearth of names for whom the current Chinese members can officiate.”
Elder Tai, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, said the temple created a better unity among local Church members. “It has been a time of celebration, a time of thanksgiving, a time of happiness, a time to rededicate ourselves. It’s a spiritual boost.”
Cecil and Liana Lee, among those attending a May 26 dedicatory session, were touched by President Hinckley’s remarks and dedicatory prayer. Cecil Lee said: “The temple is really a big blessing for us. I’ll never forget this day.” His wife added, “I felt that every word of the dedicatory prayer went deep into my soul.”
More than 5,000 Saints attended the dedication, including some 200 who traveled from Singapore, more than 300 from Taiwan, about 100 from Thailand and several expatriate members from China. Also attending were about 300 returned missionaries and several mission presidents.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May it be a sanctuary of peace amid the rush and roar of this great city. May those who enter to serve here leave the world behind and reflect on the things of eternity.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Hong Kong Temple here.
2022 Rededication of the Hong Kong Temple
After extensive renovations that started on July 8, 2019, the Hong Kong Temple was rededicated on June 19, 2022. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided over its rededication. Elder Gong had served in the Asia Area presidency from 2011 to 2015 and eventually became the president of the Asia Area during that time.
“This beautiful Hong Kong Temple,” said Elder Gong in the rededication services, “invites us in this Asia Area to draw closer to our Savior Jesus Christ, build daily our spiritual foundation and bless our family generations.”
In-person attendance was limited to adhere to COVID-19 health restrictions, but the event was broadcast throughout the temple district.
Alan Cheung, a local leader, said of the rededication: “Temples help members better understand the purpose of life; encourage them to be more faithful, generous and kind; and give them strength to meet challenges in life.”
Polly Fong — with her husband, Vincent, parents of three young children and Saints in Hong Kong — said after the rededication: “Temple worship brings us closer together as a family. My husband and I look forward to being able to attend the temple again soon. This helps us be better spouses and parents.”
Agnes Ng, one of the few participants in person at the dedication, sang in a small choir at the service. Her father, Wai-Kam Ng, had sung at the dedication of the house of the Lord in 1996.
She recounted: “I remember him going to many rehearsals but could not understand what that meant to him. Today, being able to do what he did many years ago, I understand. It is like living the gospel; we do not know how wonderful it is until we live it ourselves.”
Her father said of the experience: “Seeing my daughter sing at the temple rededication continues my faith through my next generation. I am grateful for the gospel and the blessings that come from the temple; it helped me and my wife raise our children in righteousness.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Dear Father, we are grateful that, through loving service in temples such as this one, we can offer our ancestors and family generations Thy eternal blessings.”
Read the rededication prayer of the Hong Kong Temple here.
Timeline of the Hong Kong Temple
The Hong Kong Temple was announced at general conference on Oct. 3, 1992, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. After being dedicated May 26, 1996, by President Hinckley, the Hong Kong Temple served members of the Church for 23 years and closed for extensive renovation in 2019.
The open house for the rededication took place near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it attracted around 3,000 visitors. After three years of construction, the temple was rededicated by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on June 19, 2022.
Architecture and Design of the Hong Kong Temple
Standing on a 0.3-acre site, the Hong Kong Temple has an area of 21,744 square feet and an exterior finish of polished granite. It was built in a Hong Kong colonial style and includes the baptistry, the celestial room, two instruction rooms and two sealing rooms.
The stone on the exterior of the temple was quarried from the Jianming Quarry in Xiamen, China. The bottom half of the temple is Giallo Ornamental stone, and the top is Sunset Gold stone. The lamps, the chandeliers and many other features inside the house of the Lord have been designed to represent ancient Chinese architecture.
The Hong Kong Temple includes the baptismal font on the lower level and other areas of the temple on upper floors. Floors in between contain a chapel and classrooms as well as offices and other facilities. This multipurpose design came as inspiration to President Gordon B. Hinckley in July 1992 and was later used for the Manhattan New York Temple, dedicated in 2004.
Interior Photos of the Hong Kong Temple
