The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Portugal

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Portugal
(Logo in Portuguese)
A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Póvoa de Varzim
Membership	45,576 (2019)[1]
Stakes	6
Districts	4
Wards	32
Branches	35
Total Congregations	67
Missions	1
Temples	1
Family History Centers	24[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Portugal refers to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Portugal. As of 2019, the LDS Church reported 45,576 members in 687 congregations in Portugal,^[1] making it the third largest body of LDS Church members in Europe behind the United Kingdom and Spain. In 2019, Portugal had the most LDS Church members per capita in Europe.^[3] Nearly all members are native Portuguese or permanent immigrants from former Portuguese territories.^{[citation needed]}

History[]

The Portuguese translation of the Book of Mormon, originally published in 1939

The first meetings of the LDS Church in Portugal were among members of U.S. armed forces stationed in the country in early 1970. In April 1974, the mostly peaceful Carnation Revolution brought an end to decades of authoritarian rule that had formally promoted Roman Catholicism and had restricted other faiths from proselyting. Several weeks after the fall of this Estado Novo regime, LDS President Spencer W. Kimball visited Portugal and received confirmation that the LDS Church would be recognized and that the missionaries could start preaching in the country.

In November 1974, Elder William Grant Bangerter of the Quorum of the Seventy came to Lisbon to preside over the newly created Portugal Lisbon Mission. Four Portuguese-speaking LDS missionaries were transferred to the new mission from Brazil. The first official meetings of the LDS Church were held at the home of a member of the Canadian embassy who lived in Portugal.

By July 1975, there were already about 100 Portuguese Latter-day Saints, and by July 1978, membership reached 1,000. Growth of Mormon Christianity has steadily progressed since that time; at year-end 2016, more than 38,000 Mormons live in Portugal, organized in dozens of local congregations known as wards and branches. Mormon Christians of Portugal (also known as 'Latter-day Saints', 'LDS', or simply 'Mormons') have a wide age range and reach all socioeconomic groups.

Relationship with the Media[]

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The LDS Church uses a religious programming space provided on channel RTP 2 in conjunction with other religious denominations. This opportunity is made possible under Portugal's religious freedom laws. It consists of two programs, the seven-minute "People of Faith" and the 30-minute "Paths". A number of radio programs are also provided on station RDP in formats similar to television programming.

Stakes[]

As of May 2021, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 7 Stakes and a District in Portugal:^[4]

• Açores Portugal District
• Almada Portugal Stake
• Coimbra Portugal Stake
• Lisbon Portugal Stake
• Oeiras Portugal Stake
• Porto Portugal North Stake
• Porto Portugal Stake
• Setúbal Portugal Stake

Missions[]

• Portugal Lisbon Mission

Temple[]

The Lisbon Portugal Temple was announced on 2 October 2010 by President Thomas S. Monson.^[5] Its ceremonial groundbreaking services were held on 5 December 2015 by Elder Patrick Kearon, president of the LDS Church's Europe Area.

See also[]

• Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)
• Religion in Portugal

References[]

External links[]

• LDS Newsroom - Portugal
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site (Portugal)
• ComeUntoChrist.org Latter-day Saints Visitor site