5 new LDS temples announced by First Presidency

The 12th European temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be built in Rome. During the opening Saturday session of the 178th Semiannual General Conference, convened in the Conference Center, LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson announced five new temples will be built in coming years. Currently, 128 temples are in operation, and today's announcement brings the number of announced temples to 17. Once completed, the new temples will bring the worldwide total to 145.

The Rome Italy Temple will be the first to be constructed near the worldwide headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church. It will serve church members from a variety of countries and greatly reduce travel time and expense to the Latter-day Saints living in the area, the release states. President Monson said the church also plans to build temples in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cordoba, Argentina; the greater Kansas City area; and in Philadelphia. The announcement of the temple in Rome brought an audible gasp and smiles to more than 20,000 church members assembled in the Conference Center.   Read the complete story at Deseret News