Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons or LDS, celebrate Christmas and Easter with other Christians, but they also observe another holiday called Pioneer Day. For Mormons, Pioneer day serves to remind them each year of the history and heritage of their faith.
What is Pioneer Day?
Pioneer Day is on July 24 and celebrates the arrival of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The religious group migrated to Utah after being forced to leave its headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois because of religious persecution, including the murder of LDS prophet Joseph Smith.
Pioneer Day Celebrations
In Utah, Pioneer Day is an official state holiday. Government offices and many businesses are closed. Many towns have their own Pioneer Day celebrations like parades, festivals, and fireworks shows. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir puts on an annual Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert at Temple Square.
The July 24 holiday is also observed by most members of the LDS church who live outside of Utah. Mormons might participate in pioneer-themed activities sponsored by local churches or youth reenactments of the LDS pioneers' trek along the Mormon Trail from Illinois to Utah.
Mormon Pioneer Heritage
Most members of the LDS church feel a personal connection to the Mormon pioneers of the 1800s, whose faith in the face of hardship and persecution is inspirational to today's LDS. Church president Thomas S. Monson explains, "We each can learn much from our early pioneer ancestors, whose struggles and heartaches were met with resolute courage and an abiding faith in a living God."
Even church members who aren't direct descendants generally feel some type of kinship with the Mormon pioneers, and converts to the church are sometimes called modern-day pioneers because they were the first in their families to join the LDS church.
Pioneer Day is a Utah state holiday, but it is also celebrated in varying ways by millions of Mormons living all over the world. Pioneer Day is a holiday that has come to symbolize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' pride in its pioneer heritage and history.
For more information on the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please see Origin of Mormonism and Who Was Joseph Smith?
Sources:
Thomas S. Monson, "Our Honored Pioneer Heritage." Ensign, July 2011.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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