The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Pennsylvania. Joseph and Emma Smith lived in Northern Pennsylvania near the Susquehanna River just prior to the organization of the Church of Christ. Much of the translation of the Book of Mormon and revelation of the priesthood occurred here during that time.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. | |
| Area | US Northeast |
| Members | 54,354 (2025)[1] |
| Stakes | 13 |
| Wards | 75 |
| Branches | 30 |
| Total Congregations | 105 |
| Missions | 2 |
| Temples | 2 operating 1 announced 3 total |
| FamilySearch Centers | 46[2] |
Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.41% in 2019.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, less than 1% of Pennsylvanians self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[4] The church is the 13th largest denomination in Pennsylvania.[5]
History
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 900 |
| 1960 | 4,600 |
| 1979 | 18,146 |
| 1989* | 28,000 |
| 1999 | 37,749 |
| 2009 | 48,477 |
| 2019 | 52,290 |
| 2025 | 54,354 |
| *Membership was published as a rounded number. Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Pennsylvania[1] | |
Joseph Smith and other future members of the Church of Christ, the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Smith, were baptized in the Susquehanna River in May 1829.[6][7]
A total of 12 congregations were organized in Pennsylvania in the 1830s, before members gathered to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.[8]
In 2016 Inga Saffron, architecture critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, called the new Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple "the most radical work of architecture built in Philadelphia in a half-century ... because it dares to be so out of step with today's design sensibilities and our bottom-line culture." Estimating its cost as more than $100 million, she wrote that the temple was "the real classical deal" and "a bold incursion into the hierarchical fabric of Philadelphia".[9]
Stakes
As of September 2026, Pennsylvania had the following stakes:[10][11][12]
| Stake | Organized | Mission | Temple District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona Pennsylvania | 23 Jul 1978 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Gettysburg Pennsylvania | 28 March 2021 | Maryland Baltimore | Washington D.C. |
| Hagerstown Maryland[a] | 19 Apr 1970 | Maryland Baltimore | Washington D.C. |
| Harrisburg Pennsylvania | 12 Aug 1979 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Hiram Ohio Stake[a] | 18 Feb 2007 | Ohio Columbus | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Jamestown New York[a] | 16 May 1995 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Lancaster Pennsylvania | 24 Mar 2013 | Maryland Baltimore | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Philadelphia Pennsylvania | 16 Oct 1960 | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | 11 May 1969 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania North | 26 Nov 1978 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West | 7 Sep 2014 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania |
| Reading Pennsylvania | 31 Oct 1982 | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Scranton Pennsylvania | 2 Aug 1979 | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Valley Forge Pennsylvania | 14 Feb 1999 | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Williamsport Pennsylvania | 13 Apr 1997 | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
- Stake located outside of Pennsylvania with congregation(s) meeting in Pennsylvania
Missions
- Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission
- Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission
Temples
= Operating
= Under construction
= Announced
= Temporarily Closed
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Notes: |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 4, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[13] September 17, 2011 by Henry B. Eyring September 18, 2016 by Henry B. Eyring[14] 61,466 sq ft (5,710.4 m2) on a 1.6-acre (0.65 ha) site Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference.[13] | |||||
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: |
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States 5 April 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[15] 21 August 2021 by Randall K. Bennett 15 September 2024 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf 32,240 sq ft (2,995 m2) on a 5.8-acre (2.3 ha) site | |||||
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edit | ||||
| Location: Announced: Size: |
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States 2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson[16][17] 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) on a 5.36-acre (2.17 ha) site | |||||
