Priesthood Restoration

Priesthood Restoration (also known as Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood: John the Baptist, or simply John the Baptist) is a 1957 bronze sculpture by Avard Fairbanks, installed in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square, in the U.S. state of Utah.

Description
The statue measures approximately 10 x 8 x 4 feet and rests on a stone base which measures approximately 7 x 10 x 6 feet. It depicts John the Baptist wearing robes, with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith kneeling at his side. A nearby plaque reads: "Restoration of the / Aaronic Priesthood / John the Baptist, the biblical prophet who / baptized Jesus Christ, conferred the Priest / hood of Aaron upon Joseph Smith (left) and Oliver Cowdery (right) on May 15, 1829, on the bank of the Susquahanna River in / Pennsylvania. The priesthood, which holds / the authority to baptize for remission of / sins and entrance into the kingdom of God / had been absent from the earth for centu / ries. The latter-day restoration by John / the Baptist made the blessings of baptism again / available to all mankind."

History
The artwork is administered by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints’ Museum of Church History and Art. It was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution’s “Save Outdoor Sculpture” program in 1993.