The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland has a rich history beginning in 1850.[4] As of December 31, 2022, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 9,630 members in Switzerland, organized in five stakes and 34 congregations (26 wards and 8 branches).
History
Missionary work for LDS Church began in Switzerland on November 24, 1850, when the Swiss Mission was created.[4] The Swiss Mission later became the Swiss and Italian Mission and the Swiss, Italian, and German Mission.[4] Many early converts were baptized, but then emigrated to the United States until the 1950s.
On September 11, 1955, the LDS Church completed its first temple in Europe when the Bern Switzerland Temple was completed in Münchenbuchsee. The temple was later remodeled and rededicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in October 1992.[6] In 1994, Howard W. Hunter visited Switzerland as the new LDS Church president.[7]
Hans B. Ringger was a Swiss national who was a leader of the LDS Church in Switzerland.[8] Born on 2 November 1925, in Zurich, Switzerland, his grandmother, Elizabeth Zoebeli Ringger, joined the LDS Church in 1896 and his parents, Carl Ringger, Jr., and Maria Reif, were also active members.[9] Ringger eventually became an LDS Church general authority. Stephen Nadauld and Douglas Bischoff served as missionaries for the church in Switzerland, with Nadauld later serving as president of the Switzerland Geneva Mission from 2003 to 2006.[10]
As of 2020, members total approximately 8,000, with many coming from second, third, and fourth generations of members in Switzerland. Forty congregations meet in 27 meetinghouses.[11]
Stakes
Red=Operating Temple
Green = Stake Center
As of August 2026, the Switzerland had the following stakes and congregations:[12]
| Stake | Organized | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Bern Switzerland Stake[13] | 3 May 1981 | Alpine German-Speaking |
| Geneva Switzerland Stake[13] | 20 June 1982 | France Lyon |
| Lausanne Switzerland Stake[13] | 28 Aug 2005 | France Lyon |
| Milan Italy West[a] | 7 June 1981 | Italy Milan |
| St Gallen Switzerland Stake[13] | 5 May 2007 | Alpine German-Speaking |
| Zürich Switzerland Stake[13] | 28 Oct 1961 | Alpine German-Speaking |
- Stake located outside of Switzerland with congregation(s) meeting in Switzerland
Missions
- Alpine German-speaking Mission
- France Lyon Mission
- Italy Milan Mission
Temples
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size: Style: Notes: |
Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland 1 July 1952 by David O. McKay 5 August 1953 by David O. McKay 11 September 1955 by David O. McKay 23 November 1992 by Gordon B. Hinckley 35,546 sq ft (3,302.3 m2) on a 7-acre (2.8 ha) site Modern, single spire - designed by Edward O. Anderson Bern was the first temple to present the endowment using a movie, necessitated by the multiple languages required to support the members in Europe. | |||||
