David Miscavige speaks at Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles

World’s first Church of Scientology, formed in 1954, now joins a global roster of Ideal Churches of Scientology, poised to serve its growing congregation and the community for the coming decades.

LOS ANGELES—With a fanfare of trumpets and balloons floating aloft, 6,000 parishioners and guests cheered as the ribbon was cut, opening the new Church of Scientology of Los Angeles on Saturday, April 24, 2010. Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, officiated at the ceremony dedicating the new Church, joined by parishioners and Los Angeles-area officials.

The ceremony marked the conclusion of the fullscale redesign and construction of the Church’s 64,571-square-foot property at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and L. Ron Hubbard Way, now fully reconfigured as an ideal Church of Scientology which also serves as a training center for Church executives and staff from around the world.

Describing the significance of the occasion, Mr. Miscavige said: “Today marks a milestone step in our planetary crusade to bring on our help on a truly global scale—so that one day there is no crime, no war, no insanity, a world in which Man is free to rise to greater heights.”

In describing the significance of the city of Los Angeles to Scientologists, Mr. Miscavige said: “It’s the city where the Church of Scientology was first incorporated in 1954. While even more than that, it’s the city with the largest concentration of Scientologists on Earth.”

Also commemorating the occasion was Ms. Karen Bass, Speaker Emeritus of the California State Assembly: “As a public servant, I try to do everything in my power to give a voice to the voiceless, and to guarantee that no one goes unheard. But through human rights education, we empower everyone to lift their voice and to be heard. The Church of Scientology I know has made a difference, because your Creed is a universal creed and one that speaks to all people everywhere.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca acknowledged the actions of the Church and its members: “You have been consistently reliable in helping me to achieve my goal for a safer Los Angeles County. In particular, your drug education means everything to the safety of our schools and neighborhoods. That is why we trained a corps of our own deputies in the use of your unbeatable program, so I want to thank each and every one of you for everything you do in helping me do my job—because today, crime in Los Angeles is at its lowest in 40 years.”

Los Angeles City Council member Paul Koretz spoke of the Church’s place in the rebirth of Hollywood: “Those of us in the City long had a dream for Hollywood. It was for a Phoenix to rise from the ashes, after decades of decline. We needed to transform Hollywood with a cultural revitalization, one that would then ripple out across all of LA. What we are witnessing here is the essence of that Hollywood transformation. Because if ever today there is an example of making this the city of our dreams, it is the Church of Scientology.”

“This striking Church and the complex extending south behind us were once the imposing Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, crafted 80 years ago in the height of the Art Deco period of American architecture. In renovating this landmark, you have gone beyond all of our expectations for what the new Hollywood can be.”

Drawing from those Art Deco roots of 1920s Los Angeles, the fully reconstructed Church evokes the architectural revolution that contributed to putting the home city of the first Church of Scientology on the planetary cultural map.

In addition to an expansive Chapel are many unique elements including an extensive public information area of 20 multimedia displays, a library, seminar rooms, film rooms, volunteer workspaces for its many social and community programs and projects, as well as course rooms that seat over 480, with 35 rooms especially appointed for the religion’s one-on-one spiritual counseling.

Formerly a functional building annexed to the 1928 Art Deco Cedars of Lebanon Hospital buildings designed by Claud Beelman, the massive reconstruction began in November 2009 and encompasses new walls, all new ceilings and finishes, as well as furniture constructed in-house at the Church’s state-of-the-art custom mill with imported wood and marble from Italy.

The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles was incorporated in 1954 as the first Scientology Church in the world. The Greater Los Angeles area is the seat of the religion’s Mother Church, Church of Scientology International, and Bridge Publications who publish and disseminate Mr. Hubbard’s books and recorded lectures for all of North America. Worldwide, there are more than 8,500 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups in 165 countries.

Los Angeles is the fourth new Church of Scientology opened in 2010 and the ninth in the past year. The Brussels branch of Churches of Scientology for Europe was opened January 23. The Church of Scientology of Quebec was dedicated January 30, the first new major Church to open in Canada, and the Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre of Las Vegas opened February 6. In October 2009, two major Churches were opened: the Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC, and the Church of Scientology of Rome. In April 2009, Scientology Churches in Nashville, Dallas, and Malmo, Sweden, were opened.

These Churches join the roster of new Churches of Scientology in the world’s cultural capitals, including the National Church of Scientology of Spain in Madrid’s Neighborhood of Letters; the Church of Scientology of New York, just off Times Square; the Church of Scientology of San Francisco in the original historic Transamerica Building; the Church of Scientology of London, located in the epicenter of the city; and the Church of Scientology of Berlin, near the Brandenburg Gate. Another 10 new Churches of Scientology are scheduled for completion before the end of 2010.

Who is David Miscavige? - A Biography

Mr. David Miscavige - a Most Special Guest

Seven years ago, the Church of Scientology of Johannesburg opened the doors of its new headquarters in Kensington, the hub of Scientology activity in South Africa. More then 1,400 well-wishers and guests - government and religious leaders, human rights champions, celebrities and professionals, church members and friends - came from all over Africa and from many countries to celebrate the landmark dedication.

See more about the Church of Scientology of Johannesburg on Scientology.org

The event was capped by the appearance of the senior Scientology executive Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of Religious Technology Center, custodian of the religious scriptures of Scientology.

Mr. David Miscavige's presence to dedicate and open this new church was significant, both for him, personally, as a first-time visitor to the country, as well as for the parishioners of the 45-year-old Johannesburg Scientology church. "It is my honor to address you, to walk in a land where L. Ron Hubbard laid so many milestones, and on this, your milestone day," he stated.

The Chairman of the Board traced the history of Mr. Hubbard's experience in South Africa, where, in characteristic style, he observed life by rubbing elbows with many Africans of all stations, befriending government ministers, entering the townships, attending tribal celebrations and seeing life as it actually was in apartheid South Africa.

Beneath apartheid's suppression "of virtually every indigenous people, perpetrated by the same psychiatric ideologies that laid six million to rest under the banner of eugenics during the second world war," Mr. L. Ron Hubbard found "an unbroken tradition of spiritualism extending back to the very dawn of man," and "an indomitable human spirit that, although suppressed, no one could extinguish," said Mr. David Miscavige.

He spoke, as well, of Mr. Hubbard's certainty that indeed Africa was "'the cradle of civilization,' possessing a spirit that, if sparked, could burn forth throughout the world," echoing Mr. Hubbard's prediction, "From South Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

He warmly acknowledged the work of South African Scientologists over the past forty-five years, singling out the results of their dedication, accomplishments that for decades have set the example for social betterment efforts by Scientologists the world over: their exposure of psychiatric labor camps and their relentless efforts until basic human rights were restored under the law to those Black citizens; their empowerment of the next generation through their educational programs; and their success in calming full-scale riots through their wide distribution of a moral code to whole districts.

And of the South Africa of today, Mr. David Miscavige pointed out that its problems of unemployment and crime, the inevitable result of half a century of social strife, are "evidence of the fact that 'freedom from' is no freedom at all without the means to achieve that 'higher goal.'"

Thus, he said, it falls within the tradition of Scientologists here to rekindle the spirit of the African continent by providing workable solutions to those areas of social decline that so grip our land - immorality, illiteracy, drug addiction and criminality, in particular.

Mr. David Miscavige recounted that, on September 11, "when the curtain came down, exposing the fragile state of the world," Scientologists everywhere heard their "wake-up call." The urgency of the mission became even clearer and the efforts and dedication have intensified since. That intensity led ultimately to the opening in the last two years to three new international headquarters for their social betterment organizations, as well as the expansion of churches around the world.

The final step of that wake-up call, he said, was the creation of this new type of church, which we celebrate not just as a magnificent structure, but all that it represents in the building of a new Africa, and the realization of the dreams of L. Ron Hubbard as expressed when he said, "From Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet...."

Mr. David Miscavige - assisted by Councilwoman Milner, Commissioner Reddy, Ms. Mashabele, Minister Ngubane, and the Church of Scientology Johannesburg's top executives - cut the ribbon and welcomed all to tour the main facility, the chapel and other buildings of the new Church of Scientology of Johannesburg.

David Miscavige - A Biography (excerpt)

David Miscavige is the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. From his position as Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC), Mr. Miscavige bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the standard and pure application of L. Ron Hubbard’s technologies of Dianetics and Scientology and for Keeping Scientology Working.

In that capacity, Mr. Miscavige has redefined the term “religious leader” to fit the tasks necessary to direct a truly unique, contemporary religion—a religion born in the twentieth century, which has achieved an unprecedented level of expansion in the twenty-first century, including some 8,500 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups across 165 nations.

Under Mr. Miscavige’s stewardship, Scientology-supported social betterment and humanitarian programs have touched the lives of billions. Mr. Hubbard’s religious works are more widely available than ever and the Church has achieved unprecedented growth both in physical size and in the reach of its ministry.

Such is the stamp of Mr. David Miscavige in fulfilling the vision and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard and such is the encapsulated story of his leadership:

• Guaranteeing the continued growth and expansion of Scientology internationally
• Making Scientology broadly available to people of all walks of life world over
• Developing programs to address society’s worst ills and providing the resources to put those programs into action
• Ensuring that the Scripture of Scientology is true to the Founder’s original writings
• Restoring Mr. Hubbard’s written works, recorded lectures and filmed lectures
• Seeing to the international dissemination of Scientology
• Creating Ideal Scientology Church Organizations
• Establishing two state-of-the-art digital publishing houses capable of producing 1.3 million books and 1 million CDs per week
• Inspiring the Volunteer Ministers Program, the world’s largest independent relief force, with more than 200,000 volunteers
• Securing official recognitions of the religion
• Presiding over nine annual globally broadcast events that serve as briefings for Scientologists on the Church's strategic programs.

L. RON HUBBARD'S TRUSTED FRIEND

Born in 1960, David Miscavige has been a Scientologist for most of his life and is still remembered as the 12-year-old prodigy who served as the youngest professional auditor at Saint Hill’s famed Hubbard Guidance Center in England.

He is further remembered for the fact that barely a year after entering the Scientology religious order, the Sea Organization, at the age of 16, he was among a handful of people selected to work directly with L. Ron Hubbard. After personal instruction from Mr. Hubbard, the 17-year-old David Miscavige served as his Director of Photography for the first Scientology training films.

Later, at Mr. Hubbard’s request, Mr. Miscavige served as the senior executive supervising ecclesiastical missions to Scientology Churches around the world. By the age of 18, David Miscavige had become the individual L. Ron Hubbard called upon to carry out the most important assignments. No Church executive in history ever received more direct communication from L. Ron Hubbard than Mr. Miscavige.

In 1983, L. Ron Hubbard described a heroic Church executive who cleaned the ranks of rogue staff attempting to seize control of Scientology while Mr. Hubbard was engaged in intensive research and absent from the Church. As Mr. Hubbard himself phrased it:

“So forgive me for not managing the Church when it almost fell into hostile hands. It all came out all right. Why? Because real Scientologists made sure it did. My faith was justified.”

That real Scientologist L. Ron Hubbard spoke of was David Miscavige.

In light of what had nearly transpired, L. Ron Hubbard requested a corporate reorganization of the Church designed to ensure the Church would not fall into hostile hands and the religion could move on into perpetuity—always remaining true to its Source teachings. To that end, L. Ron Hubbard saw to the formation of Religious Technology Center to hold the Scientology and Dianetics trademarks and to preserve, maintain and protect the Scientology religion. He appointed Mr. Miscavige a Trustee of that Church organization.

To oversee his personal affairs for the remainder of his life, L. Ron Hubbard also appointed David Miscavige as chairman of the organization charged with handling those matters.

Following L. Ron Hubbard’s passing in 1986, it was Mr. Miscavige who steered Scientology through those difficult days; for as history demonstrates, the true test of any religion is to survive the passing of its Founder. Indeed, it was Mr. Miscavige who secured that survival by obtaining full religious recognition in the United States and ushering Scientology onto the global stage.

Since then, Mr. Miscavige has steadfastly carried forth L. Ron Hubbard’s legacy, until Scientology now stands as the only major religion to emerge in this modern age. To be sure, what Mr. Miscavige has done is no more or less than the fulfillment of L. Ron Hubbard’s vision—a vision he knew would be faithfully carried out with Mr. Miscavige at the helm.

“Trust and friendship are things forged in fire and pounded out on the anvil of life. We have been through a lot together. I trust you as you trust me.”

—L. Ron Hubbard to David Miscavige

READ MORE ABOUT DAVID MISCAVIGE ON SCIENTOLOGY.ORG