Palmyra New York Temple Is Dedicated April 6, 2000 Palmyra, New York—In an historic event today near this rural New York community, the leader of one of the world's fastest growing faiths pronounced a prayer of dedication on a unique religious structure. In four sessions, Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Palmyra New York Temple. Because the Palmyra area holds special significance in Church history (see related story), the first session was broadcast via satellite to Latter-day Saints gathered in more than 1,300 meetinghouses throughout the United States and Canada. Accompanying President Hinckley in Palmyra were Church leaders President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy, a member of the North America Northeast Area Presidency. Also attending were Dale Sherman Dallon (recently named president of the Palmyra New York Temple), many local and regional leaders of the Church, and thousands of Latter-day Saints from across the country who traveled to upstate New York for this historic event. Latter-day Saint temples are distinct from local meetinghouses in which regular Sunday services are held. Temples are considered "houses of the Lord" where the teachings of Jesus Christ are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism, and other sacred ordinances that unite families for eternity. The Palmyra New York Temple is the 77th operating temple of the Church and is one of many announced for construction in the last few years. Fifteen temples were dedicated in 1999, and President Gordon B. Hinckley plans to dedicate the Church's 100th temple by the year's end. For media information only, contact Michael Purdy at 801-240-2363, Dale Bills at 801-240-4377, Kim Farah at 801-240-1977, or Randy Ripplinger at 801-240-6941.