Alabaster, a naturally translucent stone, is composed of a variety of fine-grained gypsum. Exceptionally delicate and light, it is known to be easily scratched, weathered and soiled. Like all forms of gypsum, alabaster is formed by evaporating bedded deposits that are precipitated from evaporating seawater. It was once considered to be "the stone of the gods," and although alabaster can be found in an array of colors, no two pieces remain the same, making each piece of alabaster truly one of a kind, similarly to our beloved Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs.

The alabaster stone is mentioned in the Bible in two precious accounts surrounding Jesus Christ. In one story, a woman carrying an alabaster jar anoints the head of Christ with an expensive ointment shortly before His crucifixion, as a means of cleansing and purification. While the majority of His disciples saw it as waste, Christ assured them that this was an act of service and that "...wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Similarly to the alabaster flask which was used to anoint the head of Christ, the Chilean Temple will manifest itself as a receptacle of light, ushering in the manifold blessings of Baha'u'lláh by anointing each individual who enters its portals with the fragrances of the Kingdom.

With its fragile nature in mind, Chilean Temple architect Siamak Hariri chose to place the alabaster on the inside walls of the structural skeleton. Cast glass was then chosen to be placed on the outside layer of the Temple's frame, sheltering the alabaster from weather conditions and various elements which can be harmful, while still allowing for its translucent nature to shine through. Hariri Pontarini Architects have also commissioned a local glass artisan in Toronto to create a special type of cast glass, which has never before been used on an edifice, and is therefore being extensively tested for its strength and stability. According to Justin Ford, an intern architect with Hariri Pontarini, the cast glass, which is created out of small pieces of recycled glass, "is quite rigid, thicker than typical clear glass that is used. It's robust." The glass pieces are first placed into a mold of the desired shape, and then put into an oven for melting, and finally carefully cooled, with the eventual goal being that the glass will emulate the alabaster stone in thickness.

With the architectural firm working diligently to create the blessed Temple of Light, Bahá'ís of the world continue to patiently and prayerfully anticipate its glorious final outcome.