The Solemn Assembly. What? Why? When?
The April 2026 gathering sustained Dallin H. Oaks as the new Church president, following established patterns without the Hosanna Shout.
- The April 2026 solemn assembly sustained President Dallin H. Oaks and the new First Presidency after Russell M. Nelson's death.
- The Hosanna Shout is not a required element of every solemn assembly and was not directed for this sustaining event.
- The program centered on quorum-by-quorum voting to express common consent as outlined in Doctrine and Covenants 26:2.
- Recent precedent shows the shout occurred in 2020 for a First Vision commemoration but not in the 2018 Nelson sustaining.
Solemn assemblies in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve as rare, sacred meetings for sustaining new leadership or marking major milestones. The most recent one, held during the Saturday morning session of April 2026 General Conference, sustained President Dallin H. Oaks as the 18th President of the Church along with his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve.
What Took Place
President Russell M. Nelson passed away in September 2025. The new First Presidency was announced the following month. On April 4, 2026, members participated in the traditional sustaining process by raising their right hands in groups, beginning with the First Presidency, then the Quorum of the Twelve, General Authority Seventies, and other bodies. This order reflects the principle of common consent.
Why the Hosanna Shout Was Omitted
The Hosanna Shout, involving the repeated phrase "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna to God and the Lamb! Amen, Amen, and Amen!" while waving white handkerchiefs, is reserved for specific occasions directed by Church leaders. It draws from New Testament accounts and was first used in the Church at the 1836 Kirtland Temple dedication. It appears at temple dedications and certain commemorations but is not automatic for every solemn assembly.
- The 2018 solemn assembly sustaining President Nelson did not include the shout.
- The most recent Churchwide Hosanna Shout occurred in April 2020 during a special session marking the 200th anniversary of the First Vision.
- Official pre-conference announcements confirmed the 2026 program would focus solely on the sustaining votes.
- The 2026 assembly highlighted unity through common consent rather than additional symbolic acts.
Sources
- Church Newsroom coverage of the April 2026 General Conference
