Uncategorized

The famous Angel Moroni statue of Salt Lake removed a restoration for repair during a 4-year renovation project

SALT LAKE CITY – A huge crane raised the damaged Moroni Angel statue off the top tower of the historic Salt Lake Temple Monday morning for the first time in 128 years so it can be restored and protected during a years-long project to renovate and restore the temple and temple square.

“I didn’t know that Angel Moroni was too big,” said 6-year-old Eli Hurst, as the crane gently placed the statue on a platform in front of the temple.

Workers at multiple levels of scaffolding spent more than two hours preparing the statue for removal. They installed belts around the shape of 12 feet, 5.5 inches, made of forged copper and covered with 22-karat gold leaf. Pipe cutting sound can be heard.

The crew is removing the cornerstone after removing the statue of Moroni Angel from the top of the Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the renewal in Salt Lake City on Monday, May 18, 2020. Jeffrey Allred, Deseret News

Finally, at 9:37 am, about 200 spectators lifted their smart cameras to take video and photos while the crane lifted the statue and stone the angel stands on from their base 210 feet above the ground.

“This was planned long ago as part of the restoration of the temple, but the timetable for doing so was accelerated after the earthquake in March,” said Daniel Woodruff, spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “The statue and hat will be preserved and restored before reinstalling it later.”

Moroni was the angelic messenger who showed Joseph Smith the location of the golden paintings that he later used to translate Mormon’s book. The statue’s demolition operation continued on Monday despite gale winds 15-20 miles an hour on a foggy morning. Loud voices and other building voices rose from the grounds of the temple square.

Preparations for the removal of the Moroni Angel statue, which has been standing at the temple since 1892, began on April 2, when workers began installing a mobile crane.

Spectators gather to watch as the Moroni Angel statue is lowered to the ground by workers from Jacobsen Construction while it is removed from the Salt Lake Temple in Jesus Christ Church of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday May 18, 2020 The temple is currently undergoing renovation by Scott J. Winterton, Desert News

The iconic statue lost its horn in a 5.7-magnitude earthquake on March 18 that struck West Salt Lake City near Magna. No one was hurt when the trumpet fell from Moroni’s lips and from his right hand. Several smaller spire stones were also displaced. The owners have sustained other damages over the years and will repair it before reinstalling.

“I feel sorry that he lost his horn,” Hurst said. “Will he get a new one for his birthday?”

Salt Lake Temple and the surrounding buildings and most of the temple square are in the early stages of the main renovation. She was told that she would be 10 years old when the temple was complete and the angel Moroni returned to his place with the trumpet reinstalled, according to Hurst years on her fingers.

Behind the mask, she said, “I’ll count.” Saints’ children can be baptized in the last days from the age of 8.

“And maybe I’ll pierce my ear.”

Hurst’s father is employed by a contractor who is working on renovation. She and her mother, Brooke, left from Logan to watch the moment unfold.

The Moroni Angel statue was temporarily removed by a crane from the top of Salt Lake Temple in the Jesus Christ Church of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday, May 18, 2020.

Moroni Angel has a profound meaning for the Latter-day Saints like Hearsts.

Brock Hurst said: “It is a symbol of future promises, that the Savior will come again.” “I am so grateful.”

She also felt contact with the late patron saints, in awe of how they built the colossal temple and raised the Moroni statue to its central tower in the 1890s.

Brock Hurst said: “It’s great to see something up close that you can see far away throughout your life.” “It’s a connection with the past too. People watched here long ago Angel Moroni rises, and now we’re here watching him come down for the first time.”

About 40,000 people watched the groundbreaking ceremony on April 6, 1892. Church leaders placed a box containing multiple elements in the hollow sandstone, where they remained. Elements included a picture of the temple. The Bible, Mormon and other books; Pictures of Joseph and Herum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor,

Network display

The Moroni Angel statue was removed from the Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a renovation in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

The crew removes the cornerstone after removing the statue of Moroni Angel from the top of the Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the renovation in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

The statue of Moroni Angel was removed from the Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a renovation in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Watching crews after the Moroni Angel statue was removed from the top of Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the renovation in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Workers from Jacobsen Construction Company remove the Moroni Angel statue from the top of Salt Lake Temple in Jesus Christ Church of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020. The temple is currently undergoing renovation.

Scott Abbott, Deseret News

Workers from Jacobsen Construction Company remove the Moroni Angel statue from Salt Lake Temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020. The temple is currently undergoing renovation.

Scott Abbott, Deseret News

Spectators gather at the fence to take a closer look at the Angel Moroni statue after it was removed by Jacobsen Construction workers from Salt Lake Temple in Jesus Christ Church of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Monday 18 May 2020.