The number of temples without an angel Moroni statue will soon double

Update: Since publication, the Church has released renderings for additional temples. This story was last updated on May 28, 2021, to reflect those additions.

With over 50 temples announced or under construction, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to release new temple renderings—and several new renderings show temples that will not be topped with the angel Moroni statue. Here are some interesting facts about temples without angel Moroni statues and a look at the current renderings for new temples. 

Angel Moroni statues sit atop 157 of the 168 operating temples of the Church. Eleven temples do not have an angel Moroni statue:

• Cardston Alberta Temple
• Hamilton New Zealand Temple
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple
• Laie Hawaii Temple
• Logan Utah Temple
• Manti Utah Temple
• Mesa Arizona Temple
• Oakland California Temple
• Paris France Temple
• Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple
• St. George Utah Temple

► You may also like: 10 Things You May Not Know about the Angel Moroni Statue

Not included in the list above is the Hong Kong China Temple, which will lose its angel Moroni statue as part of an extensive renovation, according to a rendering released by the Church. The temple is expected to reopen sometime in 2022.

Left: The Hong Kong China Temple from ChurchofJesusChrist.org | Right: A rendering of the Hong Kong China Temple from Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

Some temples have also had an angel Moroni statue added as part of a renovation. According to Newsroom, angel Moroni statues were added to several temples in the 2000s including the Freiberg Germany Temple (2001), the Ogden Utah Temple (2002), the Provo Utah Temple (2003), the São Paulo Brazil Temple (2003), the Tokyo Japan Temple (2004), the Bern Switzerland Temple (2005), and the London England Temple (2008). Also of note, the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple received an angel Moroni statue in 1983, nearly 40 years after its original dedication.

Recently, crews removed the angel Moroni statue from the Salt Lake Temple as part of its renovation. The statue will be preserved, refurbished, and later reinstalled, according to Newsroom.

The Church has released exterior renderings of 48 new temples. Of the 48 renderings, 33 temple renderings do not feature an angel Moroni statue. This will bring the total number of temples without an angel Moroni statue to 45. The following renderings do not show an angel Moroni statue:

• Alabang Philippines Temple
• Antofagasta Chile Temple
• Auckland New Zealand Temple
• Bengaluru India Temple
• Bentonville Arkansas Temple
• Brasília Brazil Temple
• Cobán Guatemala Temple
• Davao Philippines Temple
• Deseret Peak Utah Temple
• Harare Zimbabwe Temple
• Helena Montana Temple
• Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple
• Lindon Utah Temple
• McAllen Texas Temple
• Mendoza Argentina Temple
• Moses Lake Washington Temple
• Neiafu Tonga Temple
• Okinawa Japan Temple
• Orem Utah Temple
• Pago Pago American Samoa Temple
• Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple
• Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple
• Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
• Port Vila Vanuatu Temple
• Praia Cabo Verde Temple
• Salvador Brazil Temple
• San Juan Puerto Rico Temple
• San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple
• Syracuse Utah Temple
• Tallahassee Florida Temple
• Tarawa Kiribati Temple 
• Taylorsville Utah Temple
• Yigo Guam Temple

According to Newsroom, “occasionally building codes, possible cultural misconceptions, or architectural designs preclude the use of an angel Moroni statue.”

Here is a look at the 48 new temple renderings currently released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Renderings are listed in alphabetical order.

Photo of the Rio de Janerio Temple from Intellectual Reserve, Inc.  The temple's dedication was delayed due to COVID-19. 

Renderings: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.