At a Christmas devotional held for Latter-day Saints and friends of the Portland Maine Stake on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Elder Allen D. Haynie, United States Northeast Area President, read an announcement from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of a temple to be built in Portland, Maine.
“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Portland, Maine. The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and thank God for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants, and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord.”
The First Presidency
This announcement brings the total number of temples — operating, under construction, or announced worldwide — to 383. It will be the first temple in Maine.
Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference.
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As part of the announcement, Elder Haynie shared that “in a recent meeting of the First Presidency of the Church, a decision was made that, when directed by the First Presidency, the announcement of the construction of a new temple should be made on location by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or a member of an Area Presidency.” He added that, “such an announcement by a member of an Area Presidency has never occurred before. Tonight, will be the first.”
President Dallin H. Oaks noted in the October 2025 general conference of the Church that temple announcements would be made in a different way.
In the concluding session, President Oak said, “With the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples. Therefore, with the approval of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we will not announce any new temples at this conference. We will now move forward in providing the ordinances of the temple to members of the Church throughout the world, including when and where to announce the construction of temples.”
Elder Haynie emphasized, “President Oaks did not say there would be no further announcements of new temples — only that the timing and location of future announcements would be determined later.” He invited those in attendance “to prepare to enter a house of the Lord.”
