Temple Initiatory and Endowment Ceremonies

23 August

The Initiatory Ceremony

Pre-1990

The ceremony script here is what took place in the temple before 1990.  We’ll be posting the scripts for the latest revision later.

The Initiatory Ceremony is a preliminary four stage ritual performed before the Endowment Ceremonies in the temple.  These ceremonies are performed on an individual basis while the Endowment Ceremonies are performed within a group setting of typically twenty patrons.

The patrons or initiates are taken into separate rooms identical to each other where temple workers are awaiting their arrival.

In 2005 this ceremony was changed.  Before 2005 a temple patron had to undress completely and put on a “shield” to cover them.  Today the patron no longer disrobes; they change into their white undergarments and put on white clothing and the officiator places their hands on the patron’s head and pronounces the same blessings as before 2005.

Men are anointed by men and women anointed by women who lightly touched various parts of the patron’s body with water and then oil as they pronounced blessings on each part they touched.

(“Sister” is used in the place of Brother for the women.  If this is the first time someone is going through the temple then parts containing the phrase “for and in behalf of ____ who is dead, is omitted.)

Each person is taken individually to the “washing rooms” first where they are anointed with water for the “Washing” and then into another room to be anointed with oil for the “Anointing”.

After the Washing and Anointing ceremonies are completed, participants go through the Garment and New Name prayers and ceremonies.

  Washing

[An officiator places water on the initiate’s head while pronouncing the following words.]

Brother _________, having authority, I wash you preparatory to your receiving your anointings [for and in behalf of _________, who is dead], that you may become clean from the blood and sins of this generation.

[While pronouncing the blessings which follow, the officiator touches each part of the body as it is named.]

I wash your head, that your brain and your intellect may be clear and active;

your ears, that you may hear the word of the Lord;

your eyes, that you may see clearly and discern between truth and error;

your nose, that you may smell;

your lips, that you may never speak guile;

your neck, that it may bear up your head properly;

your shoulders, that they may bear the burdens that shall be placed thereon;

your back, that there may be marrow in the bones and in the spine;

your breast, that it may be the receptacle of pure and virtuous principles;

your vitals and bowels, that they may be healthy and perform their proper functions; your arms and hands, that they may be strong and wield the sword of justice in defense of truth and virtue;

your loins, that you may be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, that you might have joy in your posterity;

your legs and feet, that you might run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.

[A second officiator enters. Both officiators place their hands on the initiate’s head, and the second officiator seals the washing as follows.]

Brother _________, having authority, we lay our hands upon your head [for and in behalf of _________, who is dead] and seal upon you this washing, that you may become clean from the blood and sins of this generation through your faithfulness; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

CONFIRMATION AND ANOINTING

[An officiator places oil on the initiate’s head while pronouncing the following words.]

Brother _________, having authority, I pour this holy anointing oil upon your head [for and in behalf of _________, who is dead] and anoint you preparatory to your becoming a king and a priest unto the most high God, hereafter to rule and reign in the house of Israel forever.

[While pronouncing the blessings which follow, the officiator touches each part of the body as it is named.  After 2005, the officiator only places their hands upon the patron’s head while pronouncing the words.]

I anoint your head, that your brain and your intellect may be clear and active; your ears, that you may hear the word of the Lord; your eyes, that you may see clearly and discern between truth and error; your nose, that you may smell; your lips, that you may never speak guile; your neck, that it may bear up your head properly; your shoulders, that they may bear the burdens that shall be placed thereon; your back, that there may be marrow in the bones and in the spine; your breast, that it may be the receptacle of pure and virtuous principles; your vitals and bowels, that they may be healthy and perform their proper functions; your arms and hands, that they may be strong and wield the sword of justice in defense of truth and virtue; your loins, that you may be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, that you might have joy in your posterity; your legs and feet, that you might run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.

[A second officiator enters. Both officiators place their hands on the initiate’s head, and the second officiator confirms the anointing as follows.]

Brother _________, having authority, we lay our hands upon your head [for and in behalf of _________, who is dead] and confirm upon you this anointing, wherewith you have been anointed in the temple of our God preparatory to becoming a king and a priest unto the most high God, hereafter to rule and reign in the house of Israel forever, and seal upon you all the blessings hereunto appertaining, through your faithfulness; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Women are confirmed to become a queen and priestess to their husbands)

THE GARMENT

[An officiator clothes the initiate in the garment. The officiator then pronounces the following words.]

Brother _________, having authority, I place this garment upon you [for and in behalf of _________, who is dead], which you must wear throughout your life. It represents the garment given to Adam when he was found naked in the Garden of Eden and is called the garment of the holy priesthood.

Inasmuch as you do not defile it, but are true and faithful to your covenants, it will be a shield and a protection to you against the power of the destroyer until you have finished your work on the earth.

THE NEW NAME

[In the case of a living endowment, the officiator who clothed the initiate in the garment continues as follows.]

With this garment, I give you a new name, which you should always remember and which you must keep sacred and never reveal, except at a certain place that will be shown you hereafter.

The name is _________.

[In the case of a person receiving the endowment on behalf of the dead, the person is presented to an officiator, who pronounces the following words.]

Brother _________, having authority, I give you a new name for and in behalf of _________, who is dead, which you should always remember and which you must keep sacred and never reveal, except at a certain place that will be shown you hereafter.

The name is _________.

This name is used later in the ceremony as a password and also needed for their entrance into heaven.

The new name is repeated by the patron.  The name given to the patron has been taken from either the Bible or the Book of Mormon.  The patron is given a slip of paper and writes “1” or “2” indicating which of the new names he/she received that day.

After all the rituals are finished, the patron goes into the locker room to change into their all white temple clothing while still wearing their temple garments which they never remove.  Men wear trousers, belt, shirt, ties, sock and slippers.  Women wear long sleeved dresses, knee-high hose and slippers.

Everyone carries the rest of their ritual clothing in a small bag and goes directly into the waiting room where they wait in silence until everyone is assembled.  The small bag contains a green apron with a leaf motif, the robe which is a long piece of white cloth and a sash which is wrapped around the waist and tied into a bow at the side.  There is also a white cap for the men and a veil for the women to cover their face. They are then ushered into the Creation room.  Here and throughout the ceremony, men sit on one side of the room, women on the other.

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4 Responses to “Temple Initiatory and Endowment Ceremonies”

  1. Tim November 29, 2012 at 6:25 am #

    Vile servant of Satan are ye.

    • camdenc December 6, 2012 at 9:34 pm #

      Tim – I am surprised you haven’t been blocked from commenting on here… There are rules against name calling and being rude.

      But hey, I have been called; “Devil”, “Demon”, “Knucklehead”, “Jackass”, and even worse (I don’t want to post them on here) by members of the LDS church (and some of the things I have been called were by my own family because I left the LDS church and gave my heart and life to Jesus and Him alone).

      Is it “post comments like a pirate” day or something? LOL Just Kidding!

  2. Concerned September 30, 2017 at 6:20 pm #

    These prayers are not accurate. They say things that aren’t said and leave out things that are. I’m pretty sure that’s why Endowed members of the church are asked not to discuss these detailed sacred things outside of the temple. Men are flawed and as such are left to their own interpretation, understanding and design. This article is proof of that.

    • LifeAfter September 30, 2017 at 7:55 pm #

      Dear Concerned –

      If you can show us one thing on this site that’s incorrect, please, let us know and I’ll pull it immediately and publicly apologize.
      I don’t want anything on any of my sites to be misleading, or not truthful.

      Sincerely,
      Michelle Grim
      1 Cor 1:18

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