Sealing (Mormonism)

LDS Church teachings place great importance on the specific authority required to perform these sealings.

Church doctrine teaches that this authority, called the priesthood, corresponds to that given to Saint Peter in Matthew 16:19.

An illustrative difference in the marriage ceremony performed in the LDS Church's temples is the replacement of the words "until death do us part" with "for time and all eternity".

The union of a sealed couple is regarded as valid only if both individuals have kept their religious covenants and followed Christ's teachings.

Only worthy members of the LDS Church, who hold current valid temple recommends, can attend and witness sealings.

In such circumstances, government representatives or authorized clergy will perform the civilly-recognized public wedding prior to the temple sealing.

In May 2019, the LDS Church removed a prior one-year waiting period of couples deemed to be worthy between civil and temple marriage.

Some refer to this informally as a "temple divorce", but the terminology designated by church leaders is "cancellation of a sealing".

[10] LDS Church doctrine is not entirely specific on the status of men or women who are sealed by proxy to multiple spouses.

A couple following their marriage in the Manti Utah Temple .
A woman in ceremonial temple clothing used during the wedding ceremony sits next to the sealing room altar over which the sealings are performed. The infinite reflection of the double mirrors is seen in the background.