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St. George Utah Temple

Coordinates: 37°6′1.450800″N 113°34′41.17439″W / 37.10040300000°N 113.5781039972°W / 37.10040300000; -113.5781039972
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St. George Utah Temple
Map
Number1
DedicationApril 6, 1877, by Daniel H. Wells
Site6.5 acres (2.6 ha)
Floor area143,969 sq ft (13,375.2 m2)
Height175 ft (53 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Nauvoo Temple
St. George Utah Temple 		→
Logan Utah Temple
Additional information
Announced9 November 1871, by Brigham Young
Groundbreaking9 November 1871, by Brigham Young
RededicatedNovember 11, 1975, by Spencer W. Kimball
10 December 2023, by Jeffrey R. Holland
Designed byTruman O. Angell
LocationSt. George, Utah, United States
Geographic coordinates37°6′1.450800″N 113°34′41.17439″W / 37.10040300000°N 113.5781039972°W / 37.10040300000; -113.5781039972
Exterior finishNative red sandstone quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon and plastered white.
Temple designCastellated Gothic
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms3 (stationary)
Sealing rooms18
Clothing rentalAvailable
Visitors' centerYes
(edit)

The St. George Utah Temple, formerly known as the St. George Temple, is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah. Completed in 1877, it was the third temple constructed by the church and the first in Utah, following the westward migration of Mormon pioneers from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of church founder Joseph Smith.

The temple was built over swampy land. Workers created a dry foundation by using a French cannon, reportedly used by Napoleon during his Russian campaign, which they lifted thirty feet in the air to use as a pile-driver for compacting the foundation. Local members worked for over six years, walking five miles daily and donating one day in ten as tithing labor. Church president Brigham Young thought the finished structure was too short and ought to be taller, although workers opted to complete the structure instead of redoing the tower. Two years after the death of Young, the tower was struck by lightning and destroyed; it was then rebuilt to honor his preference. The temple is the oldest in active use by the church and is the only temple completed during Young's tenure.

In 1877, Wilford Woodruff, then temple president, recorded the spirits of notable historical figures, including George Washington and Christopher Columbus, appeared to him in the temple and requested that ordinances be performed on their behalf. These were recorded by Woodruff over the span of two days and nights, which lead to temple work being done for 100 historical figures, including U.S. Founding Fathers and European leaders.

Situated in southwestern St. George, the temple was designed by Truman O. Angell with an interior layout similar to the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples. It also has exterior elements common with contemporary Utah structures like the Salt Lake, Logan, and Manti temples, all of which have a fortified castle appearance. It has three ordinance rooms and 18 sealing rooms (used for sealing and marriages), covering a total floor area of 143,969 square feet (13,400 m2). Its architectural style combines Neo-Gothic and French Norman Revival design. Dedicated in 1877, the St. George Temple was the first where church members could perform all temple ordinances for their ancestors. The temple has gone through ten major renovations, the most recent (2019–2023) focused on restoring the original design and incorporating seismic upgrades. The temple is open only to members with a current temple recommend, while the nearby visitors’ center is open to the public.

History

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Brigham Young, the church's second president, called a special council meeting January 31, 1871, in which he proposed the idea of constructing a temple in St. George.[2] This was met with a unanimous vote.[2] The people in the area had recently completed the St. George Tabernacle, and were still in process of completing other buildings, such as a stone tabernacle, a court house, and a cotton factory.[2] The site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 9, 1871.[2][3][4] Young selected St. George for the temple's location, citing the presence of loyal church members in the area and a desire to unify a region considered challenging to settle.[5] St. George was founded by 309 families as part of an initiative announced at general conference called the "Cotton Mission," intended to support the local economy through cotton production.[6][7] At the announcement, some were a "mix of emotions," and others were said to shout "glory, hallelujah!"[5][6] The settlement period posed challenges of starvation and economic hardship, and the construction of the temple provided both employment and a source of economic stability.[8]

At the time of the St. George Temple's announcement, the Salt Lake Temple was still in the early stages of construction and would not be completed and dedicated for another 22 years, until 1893.[9] The St. George Temple met an immediate need for a place to conduct temple ceremonies and ordinances.[10] The temple became the third completed by the church and the first in Utah[11] following the westward migration of the Latter-day Saints after the death of church founder Joseph Smith.[12] The St. George Temple was the first place where the endowment was performed on behalf of deceased individuals, and the opening of this temple renewed the practice of sealings on behalf of deceased individuals (which had stopped since church members left Nauvoo).[13][14] The wording of the temple ordinances was passed down by memory and word of mouth until the dedication of the St. George temple, where the ordinances were written down for the first time in the history of the church.[15][7]

Young chose a six-acre plot as the temple site, and, despite health difficulties, he supervised the construction from a nearby winter home.[16][17] When workers encountered swampy conditions at the site and suggested relocation, Young remained firm that this was the site for the temple.[18] A 1942 interview with a local resident stated that Young said the location had been dedicated by ancient Nephites (a people described in The Book of Mormon) for a temple).[19] This account, however, surfaced nearly 70 years after Young's death and is not documented during his lifetime.[19] Young also sent scouts to explore additional potential sites for the temple.[19]

To address the issue, workers created drains to eliminate as much water as possible before adding in stone for the foundation. Teams of oxen brought large lava rocks from a nearby quarry in Little Cottonwood Canyon to the site to be crushed into gravel, creating a dry foundation for the temple. Workmen suggested using a cannon the city had acquired to crush the stone.[13][20]

St. George temple cannon, used by Napoleon in the [[French invasion of Russia]], that used to hang in the visitors center in St. George.
The cannon used as a piledriver

The cannon, originally made in France, was reportedly used by Napoleon during his siege on Moscow. It was left behind during his retreat, eventually finding its way to Siberia, then Alaska, and later in California. Members of the Mormon Battalion acquired the cannon, mounted it on wheels, and brought it to Utah. After creating a pulley system using horsepower, workers filled the cannon with lead, encased in timbers, lifted it thirty feet in the air, and used it as a pile driver to compact the foundation.[21][22] Young told the workmen that "when the cannon was dropped and it bounced three times, then the foundation was solid enough."[23]

An old photo of the St. George Temple. The upper half is covered in a white plaster, the bottom half is exposed sandstone brick. Workers can be seen on the scaffolding, which is on the lower half.
The temple under construction, the lower half of the sandstone being prepared for a whitewash coating

Following the stabilization of the foundation, construction on the temple began. The walls were built with locally sourced red sandstone, finished with a white epoxy paint for a white appearance.[24][25] Historians James Allen and Glen Leonard made note of the pioneer's dedication to building the temple in Southern Utah, saying that it was a "labor of love, and a striking example of the painstaking handwork of pioneer artisans."[13] The St. George temple symbolized the Latter-day Saint dedication to temple work, along with the determination of Young and church members to carry out the work established by Joseph Smith. The temple was a symbol of exemplary work and craftsmanship, along with self sufficiency and independence.[13]

Many worked long hours in the quarry after walking five miles to the site, often for minimal pay, and still contributed half their earnings to the temple.[13] Others donated food, clothing, and other goods to support those working full-time on the construction, and members contributed one day in ten as tithing labor.[13]

Women decorated the interior with handmade carpets, along with fringe made for the altars and pulpits all from Utah-produced silk.[20][13] Local local church members took six years to complete the temple.[26][20] At its completion, it contained 1,000,000 board feet (2,000 m3) of lumber, which had been hand-chopped and hauled 80 miles (100 km).[20] They also used 17,000 tons of volcanic rock and sandstone, hand-cut, then hauled by oxen.[20]

To commemorate the finished structure, on April 6, 1877, the church's general conference was held there, during which the dedicatory prayer and services took place.[27] It was first dedicated by Daniel H. Wells, Young's second counselor in the First Presidency.[28] It is the only temple completed during Young's 29 years as church president and remains the oldest temple still in active use by the church.[7][29] After the temple was dedicated, members of the church from Arizona would travel a long distance to be married in the temple, this wagon trail was traveled so often by couples that this path was called the honeymoon trail.[30] In 1977, the temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[31][32]

Notable temple presidents include Wilford Woodruff (1877–84);[33] John D. T. McAllister (1884–93);[34][35] J. Thomas Fyans (1992–95);[36] and Bruce C. Hafen (2010–13).[37]

Cupola

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Old plan of the cupola

Young was initially displeased with the height of the tower, but because construction had taken so much time, historians speculate that he did not want to delay the project any longer.[5] Two years after his death, in 1883, the tower was struck by lightning, resulting in a fire that destroyed the tower, while leaving the rest of the temple unharmed.[5] Local legends vary in interpretation, some narratives suggesting the lightning strike and subsequent fire were perceived as a means to appease Young, while alternative accounts propose that he may have instigated the event.[38][39] The reconstructed tower doubled in height as a homage to Young's expressed preference.[5]

The Founding Fathers

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According to an account by Wilford Woodruff, then temple president and apostle, in August 1877, the spirits of the founding fathers and other eminent historical figures appeared to him in the St. George Temple.[40][41] They requested that the rite of the endowment be performed on their behalf, noting that it had not been done despite the Endowment House's long use.[42][43][44][40] Woodruff documented these occurrences over multiple occasions spanning two days and two nights in his personal journals.[43][40][41] Subsequently, baptisms and endowments were performed for these individuals in the temple by John D. T. McAllister, Woodruff, and other church members in the area, contributing to ordinance work for a total of 100 men and women.[42][45] Some individuals mentioned in these records include George Washington,[43] Christopher Columbus,[44] John Wesley,[44] along with other eminent women such as Marie Antoinette, Jane Austen, and Dolley Madison.[41][44][45] Shortly after the accounts of these visitations, 85 Native American Chiefs had baptisms performed on their behalf.[46][47]

Renovations

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The St. George temple in the background, with the annex in the foreground, a garden can be seen in the front.
The former temple annex

Over its history, the temple has experienced ten renovations, including repairs to the cupola necessitated by a lightning strike.[48] Upgrades occurred in 1917 and included an enlargement of the annex.[49] In 1938, significant modifications were made to the floor plan, involving the relocation of endowment rooms from the basement to the main level, the introduction of murals, and the alignment of the temple with architectural trends of the 20th century.[49] In 1975, the annex was expanded to facilitate the transition from live actors to a film presentation of the endowment.[49][50]

On November 4, 2019, the temple closed for renovations.[51][52] During this period, crews removed certain 20th-century additions to restore the original architectural style while also incorporating seismic upgrades.[53] Renovations throughout the building and on the site included motifs such as a five-point gold star and a quatrefoil.[53] Other additions included a skylight, a bride's plaza, trees and landscaping improvements, an entrance to the baptistry, steel trusses, murals, a new annex, as well as updated electrical, heating, and cooling systems.[48][53][54] The temple was rededicated by church apostle Jeffrey R. Holland, December 10, 2023.[55][56]

Design

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The Southeast corner of the St. George Utah Temple
The temple seen from the southeast corner

The temple was designed by Truman O. Angell under Brigham Young's supervision.[10] Angell, who worked as a carpenter on the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, incorporated architectural elements from both.[57] The temple has a rectangular shape made up of two stories, an octagonal spire, and a large assembly hall. The temple is situated on a 6.5-acre plot (2.6 ha) with multiple pedestrian plazas, along with gardens, seating elements, and a tiered water feature.[57][10]

Exterior

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While the St. George Temple has a similar overall layout to the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, the exterior designs differ. The temple combines castellated Neo-Gothic Architecture with a French Norman Revival Style, with parapets and battlements, with hexagonal staircases inside the towers.[10][58] Certain elements like the neoclassical pilasters of Nauvoo and Kirtland were replaced with thin buttresses, and in the space between them, he added a porthole motif.[14][10] Contemporary temples alongside the St. George Utah temple,[59] such as the Salt Lake City,[60] Logan,[61] and Manti Temples[62] were designed to have the appearance of a fortified castle, or castellated design. The temple spans a total of 143,969 square feet (13,400 m2).[57]

Interior

[edit]

The temple was originally designed with two large assembly halls, like the earlier Kirtland and Nauvoo temples.[57][10] The lower Assembly Hall was divided with curtains to facilitate ordinance rooms for the endowment ceremony.[57] Following the renovations completed in 2023, the temple's interior comprises a large assembly hall, a baptistry (for performing baptisms for the dead), three rooms designated for ordinances, including the initiatory, and eighteen sealing rooms.[10][63][64] The baptismal font of 12 oxen was paid for personally by Brigham Young at a price of $5,000, and the cast oxen were transported by train and oxen drawn wagons from Salt Lake City to St. George.[65][66]

Following the renovations in 2023, the temple was updated to reflect the historical pioneer era.[53] According to Andy Kirby, the director of the church's historic temple renovations, "The interior design matches the historic temple and furnishings that would have been appropriate in the 1870s and 1880s."[67] Lighting fixtures match the time period with wheel-cut glass shades with a gothic/grapevine design.[67][68] The millwork is period-specific throughout the building.[68] Additionally, new murals were introduced for each instruction room, commissioned by three different artists. Each was crafted to "capture the rugged natural beauty of the southwest Utah landscape."[53]

Admittance

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The St. George Visitors center south side entrance, with a copy of Bertel Thorvaldsen's Christus in the middle, showing a statue of a resurrected Jesus Christ, displaying the wounds in his body with open arms. A mural of the heavens is in the background.
A copy of Bertel Thorvaldsen's Christus in the visitors' center

Like all temples of the church, the St. George Temple is not used for Sunday worship services.[69] To church members, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord and are only accessible to members with a current temple recommend.[69] The visitors’ center is open to the public.[53][70]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ reference
  2. ^ a b c d Curtis, Kirk M. (October 19, 1964). History of the St. George Temple (Theses and Dissertations). Brigham Young University. pp. 22–23, 27, 38.
  3. ^ "St. George LDS Temple, Utah's first, to close Nov. 4 for several years to undergo seismic upgrade and major renovation". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "St. George Utah Temple". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e Wadsworth, Reuben (October 21, 2018). "St. George Temple day; a significant, sacred beacon for over 140 years". St. George News. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "'Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and the St. George Temple'". Church News. May 24, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "St. George Utah Temple | Church News Almanac". Almanac. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  8. ^ "Utah History Encyclopedia". www.uen.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple | Religious Studies Center". rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g pls4e (July 17, 2018). "St. George Utah Temple". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved November 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "'Absolutely incredible'; LDS church reveals details of pending St. George Temple renovations". Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Read the original St. George temple dedicatory prayer and why Brigham Young was not the one who gave it". Church News. October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Allen, James B.; Leonard, Glen M. (1976). The Story of the Latter-day Saints (2nd ed.). Deseret Book Company. pp. 377–378.
  14. ^ a b "Five Things You Should Know about the St. George Utah Temple". history.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "Significant Temple Work Started at St. George Utah Temple - Church News and Events". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "A look inside the renovated St. George Utah Temple". The Spectrum. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  17. ^ "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to unveil newly renovated St. George Temple". ABC4 Utah. August 30, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "A path still trod". Deseret News. March 29, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Curtis, Kirk (October 19, 1964). HISTORY OF THE ST. GEORGE TEMPLE. Brigham Young University. pp. 23–28. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e Kirk, Curtis (1964). HISTORY OF THE ST GEORGE TEMPLE. Brigham Young University. pp. 43, 64, 142. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  21. ^ Curtis, Kirk (1964). History of the St. George Temple. Brigham Young University. pp. 35, 36, 37. Retrieved November 5, 2024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. ^ "How is the St. George temple renovation going?". Deseret News. November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  23. ^ "St. George failed as a Western cotton capital". Deseret News. April 26, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  24. ^ "St. George Utah Temple, Dedicatory Prayer". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "An inside look at the newly renovated St. George Utah Temple". Church News. October 2, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  26. ^ Beery, Tim. "Alder tells history of St. George Temple". The Spectrum. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  27. ^ "St. George Utah Temple, Dedicatory Prayer". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  28. ^ "St. George Utah Temple: For sacred and holy purposes". Church News. January 1, 1950. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  29. ^ "St. George LDS Temple, Utah's first, to close Nov. 4 for several years to undergo seismic upgrade and major renovation". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  30. ^ "Honeymoon Trail | Bureau of Land Management". www.blm.gov. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "National Park Service". November 7, 1977.
  32. ^ "St. George Temple". wchsutah.org. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  33. ^ "Wilford Woodruff and the Rise of Temple Consciousness among the Latter-day Saints, 1877-84 | Religious Studies Center". rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  34. ^ "Diaries and letters of John D.T. McAllister". hdl.huntington.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  35. ^ "John D. T. McAllister journals, 1851-1906". catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  36. ^ "Elder J. Thomas Fyans dies". Deseret News. May 19, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  37. ^ "Hafen, Bruce C. | Religious Studies Center". rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  38. ^ "Temple burns — but not angel". Deseret News. July 11, 2003. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  39. ^ Ingram, Aleah (October 6, 2023). "10 Fascinating Facts About the St. George Utah Temple". LDS Daily. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  40. ^ a b c Woodruff, Wilford (September 16, 1877). "Journal of Discourses Vol. 19, page 229". Digital Collections BYU Library. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  41. ^ a b c Demille, Janice Force (1977). The St. George Temple First 100 Years. Hurricane, Utah: Homestead Publishers. pp. 130–131, 181.
  42. ^ a b "Eminent Spirits Appear to Wilford Woodruff". December 28, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  43. ^ a b c "Painting honors founding fathers". Church News. February 18, 1989. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  44. ^ a b c d "Chapter 4: Wilford Woodruff: Fourth President of the Church". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  45. ^ a b "What You Didn't Know About the Founding Fathers' Temple Work Story". LDS Living. May 15, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  46. ^ "Washington County Historical Society Calendar History for 2018". wchsutah.org. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  47. ^ Nelson, Rian (November 16, 2022). "Eighty-Five Chiefs Baptized 1877 – Book of Mormon Evidence". Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  48. ^ a b Scribner, Herb. "What will the St. George Utah Temple look like in 2022? Is the St. George Temple closed? Here's everything you need to know", Deseret News, 22 May 2019. Retrieved on November 5, 2024.
  49. ^ a b c "St. George Temple Media Kit" (PDF). Newsroom for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  50. ^ Wixom, Cassidy (May 8, 2023). "St. George Utah Temple will be dedicated in December". www.ksl.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  51. ^ Noyce, David. "This week in Mormon Land", The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 January 2019. Retrieved on November 5, 2024.
  52. ^ Riess, Jana. "Mormons get back to basics at church's General Conference". religionnews.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  53. ^ a b c d e f "The wait is over: The St. George LDS Temple reopens. See the renovated interior and exterior". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  54. ^ Ashcraft, Emily (September 6, 2023). "Renovations on oldest Latter-day Saint temple still in operation complete; now open for tours". www.ksl.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  55. ^ "In an unexpected 'crowning moment,' LDS apostle Jeffrey Holland rededicates a historic temple in his hometown". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  56. ^ "President Holland Rededicates the St. George Utah Temple". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. December 10, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  57. ^ a b c d e "St. George Utah Temple Fact Sheet" (PDF). Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Newsroom. p. 3. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  58. ^ "St. George Utah Temple". Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  59. ^ "St. George Utah Temple". Church News. March 12, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  60. ^ "The Salt Lake Temple's evolving design and unchanging symbolism". BYU Daily Universe. May 10, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  61. ^ "Logan Utah Temple". Church News. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  62. ^ "Manti Utah Temple". Church News. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  63. ^ "Sealing". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  64. ^ "Lesson 35: The Eternal Family". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  65. ^ Cannon, Margaret M. (1995). "The St. George Temple Baptismal Font". Issuu. Utah Historical Society. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  66. ^ St. George Utah Temple Renovation (PDF). Church of Jesus Christ Newsroom. p. 4.
  67. ^ a b "Renovated St. George Utah Temple Ready for Tours". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  68. ^ a b "See inside the newly renovated St. George Utah Temple as media, special-guest tours begin". Church News. September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  69. ^ a b "Of Chapels and Temples: Explaining Latter-day Saint Worship Services". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. November 15, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  70. ^ "Artist Julie Rogers' work at Temple Visitors' Center". The Spectrum. May 4, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2024.

Further reading

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