Get first look inside ornate domed church off I-10 in Phoenix

PHOENIX – A decade after construction began, the eye-catching domed church south of Interstate 10 in Phoenix was unveiled over the weekend.

The Light of the World church at 1206 N. Laurel Ave. opened its doors to the public during a grand opening event Sunday.

Light of the World — La Luz del Mundo in Spanish — is a Mexico-based megachurch with a controversial leader.

Naason Joaquin Garcia, considered the church’s apostle, pleaded not guilty last year in Los Angeles to charges of child rape and human trafficking. He is being held without bail.

For years, motorists driving along I-10 between 19th and Seventh avenues west of downtown Phoenix couldn’t help but notice the structure’s metallic dome.

The building’s interior is no less ornate. The inside of the dome is bright blue, and the walls and floor are white with gold and blue trim.

The church’s artistic touches include mosaic windows and mixed-media sculptures, according to a press release.

The release called it “a fusion of modern and classical art.”

If you didn’t attend the grand opening, get your first look at the church in the gallery below.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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