“The Knot That Ties Heaven and Earth Together”
The Feather River California Temple Makes Its Grand Debut
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) opened its doors yesterday for a preview tour of the recently completed Feather River California Temple. The Yuba City location marks the eighth LDS Temple located in California and the latest addition since the construction of the Sacramento Temple located in Rancho Cordova, built seventeen years ago.
From August 19th to September 9th (excluding Sundays) the public is invited to an open house, which involves tours of the grounds and inside the temple itself. After the open house period has concluded, public access will be closed. Church authorities conservatively project that over 100,000 visitors will travel to Yuba City during this period as both the devout and those not of the faith are granted access to this generational opportunity in Northern California.
The 42,000 square foot structure is considered by Latter-day Saints to be a “House of the Lord” where critical church functions occur, such as marriage ceremonies, baptisms, self-reflection, and religious instruction. During a press conference held Tuesday morning, church official Mark Bragg described the opening of the temple in Yuba City as “the knot that ties Heaven and Earth together,” emphasizing the religious significance of the new temple as a spiritual nexus between “life here and eternity”.
The Church acquired the property in the early 1970s from Mehar Tumber, a devout Sikh that grew peaches on the site that now sits adjacent to the Sutter County government center and in close connection to the area’s Sikh Community. Yuba City Mayor Wade Kirchner and Sutter County Supervisor Karm Bains both expressed optimism at the opening of the temple, viewing it as an opportunity to showcase their representative areas as an accepting, diverse, and welcoming community.
Senator Ochoa Bogh speaks to the press on August 15, 2023
California State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh of Redlands, a recent convert and member of the Church, emotionally spoke to “a tremendous and sacred moment, where Heaven touches the Earth” as she emphasized the importance of the intersectionality of faiths. Her comments were affirmed by church official Adilson De Paula Parrella of Brazil, who spoke to a feeling of love, acceptance, and inclusiveness at the opening of the temple. “We invite all to come. Come to see. Come to feel. Where all belong.”
Sutter County Board of Supervisor Karm Bains at an August 15th Press Conference for the Grand Opening of the Feather River California Temple: “This is a world class structure that will welcome thousands of visitors to our community.”
Sutter County Supervisor Karm Bains speaks to the press on August 15, 2023.
The architecture and the aesthetic design of the newest addition to the Yuba City skyline thoughtfully incorporates local materials and craftsmanship in both the exterior and interior of the facility. The Temple’s tower stands tapered, creating a visually pleasing sense of majesty. Locally sourced building materials from surrounding Yuba and Sutter Counties showcase the areas rich granite and stone resources on the building’s exterior, which were stylistically utilized to construct the temple’s neo-Byzantine-style structure.
Almond blossoms are prominently and tastefully represented throughout the temple’s art glass and exterior design motif, reflecting the importance of the fruit and nut industry to the region’s economic and cultural identity. The landscape design of the facility was inspired by the Mediterranean climate of the Sacramento Valley and the area’s rich history and biodiversity, preserving the native oak, redwood, and hackberry trees already located on the site. Old-growth olive trees are arranged in groves both in front of and behind the temple to integrate the site’s former agricultural function with its new religious purpose.
The interior of the temple can best be described as immaculate. Visitors are required to wear foot coverings (provided) upon entry to maintain the cleanliness of the interior of the facility. The design is simple yet elegant, utilizing the California poppy and the area’s pastoral flora and environment as themed design elements. The stone flooring and coloration were selected to integrate with other prominent buildings in the area. Of note is the temple’s exquisite millwork and custom designed doorways, made of cherry wood, a significant agricultural product of the area.
The tour begins with a short video orienting the visitor with information about the church at the temple’s adjacent chapel. Featured rooms on the tour most notably include the temple’s Celestial Room – the most sacred room in the Temple – a dedicated quiet space utilized for spiritual contemplation and serenity. The Bride’s Room, used in preparation for marriage ceremonies, features intricate hand painted wallpaper, incorporating almond blossoms throughout the room’s design. The Sealing Room, where marriage ceremonies are performed, was constructed with a vaulted ceiling design which reflexively encourages visitors to cast their eyes upwards towards the heavens.
Free tours for the public begin this Saturday starting at 3 PM and on Mondays through Saturdays from 9AM to 9PM daily from Aug. 21 through Sept. 9. The Feather River Temple is located at 1470 Butte House Road in Yuba City, California.
To learn more, please visit: featherrivertemple.org/open-house