Mormon Church Offers Rare Glimpse at Faith’s Relics

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are offering an unprecedented look at ancient Mormon artifacts as a part of a new exhibit at the Mormon church’s historical library.

The “Foundations of Faith” exhibit will feature a collection of 26 books, manuscripts, and documents that trace back to the faith’s founding in the mid-1800s, the Associated Press reports. The LDS church has long been known for its secrecy, but the religion’s leaders are hoping the exhibit will increase non-Mormon understanding of the faith.

“We need to be open and transparent,” Steven Snow, a Mormon historian and recorder, told the AP. “There are questions that arise occasionally, and we need to deal with them in an honest, forthright way, which we are trying to do.”

The artifacts will be on display in the Salt Lake City-based church’s library starting this week.

[AP]