Manaus Brazil Temple Wiki

Description

Rising amid the beautiful palm trees and lush foliage of one of Brazil’s largest Amazonian cities, the Manaus Brazil Temple stands as a landmark for Manaus’s 1.7 million people. Manaus is located deep in the Amazon rain forest, and visitors can reach the city only by plane or boat. Because of its seclusion, the Manaus Brazil Temple is the only Mormon temple to have its own dock for visitors and patrons arriving by boat on the grand Rio Negro.

History

The Church is relatively new in Manaus. The Church organized its first congregation in the city in 1978. The first two Latter-day Saint converts in Brazil were baptized in 1929. Now there are over 1.4 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the country. The Brazil Manaus Mission opened in 1990 under the direction of Elder Claudio R. M. Costa. At that time there was just one Latter-day Saint stake in the city. Since then membership has flourished in the Amazon city. Brazil has more than 1.25 million members and 1,972 congregations.

For many years, members in Manaus had to make an arduous 15-day round-trip journey to São Paulo on boat and bus to enjoy the blessings of the temple. The first group of Church members from the area to make the long trek to the São Paulo Brazil Temple did so in 1992, and many of the members sold many of their possessions so they could afford to travel such a vast distance. When the Caracas Venezuela Temple was completed in 2000, the round-trip journey to the closest temple shortened considerably, but it was still eight days long. On one of the trips to the temple, the Manaus Church members’ bus was attacked by robbers.

Announcement

The Manaus Church members were delighted when the temple was announced on May 23, 2007.

Many of the members in Manaus are dedicated to attending the temple, and the First Presidency of the Church praised them for their devotion in the letter announcing the Manaus Brazil Temple: “We commend the Saints for their devotion and faithfulness, and are thankful for the blessings that will come to them through the construction of this new temple.”^[1]First Presidency letter, May 23, 2007, in “Temple Announced for Manaus, Brazil,” Liahona, Oct. 2007, https://www.lds.org/liahona/2007/10/news-of-the-church/temple-announced-for-manaus-brazil.

Groundbreaking

Ground was broken for the Manaus Brazil Temple on the banks of the Rio Negro on Friday, June 20, 2008. Elder Charles A. Didier presided over the ceremony. The program included inspiring remarks and musical selections.^[2]”Temple to be erected in Manaus, Brazil,” Church News 2 Jun. 2007: 7.

Capstone

On October 5, 2011, numerous onlookers gathered around the Manaus Brazil Temple to witness the raising and placement of the gold-leafed angel Moroni statue atop the single spire.

Open House

After the temple had been completed, members of the community toured the temple during an open house from May 18 to June 2, 2012. These visitors had the opportunity to learn about one of the most important purposes of temples — sealing families for eternity.

Cultural Celebration

On the eve of the temple’s dedication, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, was greeted by thousands of members in Manaus. He was given the gift of a traditional headdress, which he was deeply touched to receive. More than a thousand teenagers performed in a cultural celebration filled with traditional dances and music to celebrate the completion of a temple close to their homes. President Uchtdorf was inspired by this gathering and said, “Your example of dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ will be a blessing and a hope to the world.”^[3]Carole Mikita, “Church Members Celebrate 6th Brazilian Temple,” June 9, 2012, http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=20773441&title=church-members-celebrate-6th-brazilian-temple.

Dedication

The dedication was held the next day, on Sunday, June 10, 2012 over 3 sessions. President Uchtdorf dedicated the temple. He and his wife applied mortar to the cornerstone, a symbolic gesture indicating that the temple was finished, and other Church leaders and their wives followed. President Uchtdorf asked children to participate in the cornerstone ceremony and called them “the future of the Church.”^[4]Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in “Manaus Brazil Temple Is Dedicated,” June 11, 2012, http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/manaus-brazil-temple-is-dedicated. Tropical rain began falling as the ceremony concluded; President Uchtdorf called it “liquid sunshine.”^[5]Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in Sarah Jane Weaver, “Manaus Brazil Temple Marks Church’s 138th Worldwide and Sixth in Brazil,” June 14, 2012, https://www.lds.org/church/news/manaus-brazil-temple-dedication-marks-churchs-138th-worldwide-and-sixth-in-brazil?lang=eng.

President Uchtdorf complimented the members in Manaus for their faithfulness and noted the strength of the Manaus pioneer heritage — a heritage built by members who became Church members just a generation ago. “This beautiful temple in the heart of the Amazon is a blessing for this people,” he declared. “Thank you for your legacy. The Lord accepts this temple.”^[6]Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in “Manaus Brazil Temple Is Dedicated,” June 11, 2012, http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/manaus-brazil-temple-is-dedicated.

Church members attended the three dedicatory sessions, which were also broadcast to meetinghouses for those who could not be there in person. A choir of Brazilian Church members sang, and President Uchtdorf offered the dedicatory prayer. He expressed love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ: “Our Father in heaven, we love Thee. We know that Thou lovest us. We love Thy Beloved Son who stands at Thy side. We thank Thee for His atoning sacrifice. All of the blessings of this house rest upon that great divine act of the love of Thy Son, the Savior of all mankind.”^[7]Manaus Brazil Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, June 16, 2012, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/62448/Manaus-Brazil-Temple-Hallowed-dwelling—Holy-temple-opens-the-gates-to-eternity.html.

Church leader Claudio R. M. Costa, who was the first president of the Brazil Manaus Mission and had seen the Church bloom in Manaus, said, “I have a trust that the Manaus Temple will be very busy, every single day, because these people love the temple. … They teach their children to love the temple. The temple is very precious to them.”^[8]Claudio R. M. Costa, in Sarah Jane Weaver, “Manaus Brazil Temple Marks Church’s 138th Worldwide and Sixth in Brazil,” June 14, 2012, https://www.lds.org/church/news/manaus-brazil-temple-dedication-marks-churchs-138th-worldwide-and-sixth-in-brazil?lang=eng.

Church members in Manaus attend the temple to experience peace and receive inspiration within its beautiful walls.

Dedication Order

The Manaus Brazil Temple is the 138th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first in the north region of the country, and the sixth to be built in Brazil.

Presidents and Matrons

Details

Location

The Manaus Brazil Temple is located on the west end of Manaus on the banks of the Rio Negro. Manaus is the capital of the state of Amazonas and is located about 11 miles above the confluence of the Rio Negro with the Amazon River. The temple sits on 7.7 acres.

Exterior

The temple features tall stained-glass windows and an exterior finish of Branco Paris granite from Brazil. The stained glass designs were created by Art Glass Studios, Salt Lake City,

A gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni adorns the temple’s large spire. The statue depicts the Book of Mormon prophet blowing a trumpet to signify the spreading of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. It is 112 feet tall without including the 14-foot gilded statue of the Angel Moroni – total height 126 feet.

Interior

The Manaus Brazil Temple is just over 32,000 square feet. The interior is decorated with rich greens and blues that reflect the local scenery. Finely crafted staircases and elegant light fixtures contribute to the temple’s peaceful atmosphere. The temple holds instruction rooms, sealing rooms, a celestial room and a baptistry. In the sealing rooms a man and a woman can be married for eternity. A gorgeous chandelier is the centerpiece of the celestial room, where natural light shines through art-glass windows.

Murals were created by Alexandre Reider and original art by Leon Parson and Alexandre Reider. The interior stone flooring is Giallo Ornamental granite, accented with Giallo Jasmine and Azul Imperial granite from Brazil, and Emperador Light and Crème Marfil marble accents from Turkey and Spain. The majority of wood used in the interior design is ipe and tamari wood from Brazil. The chandeliers are custom-designed Tiffany-style lead glass and Swarovski crystal.

Contractors and Individuals

The architects were GSBS Architect, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and JCL Arquitetos, Olinda, Brazil. The general contractor was Construtora Hoss, São Paulo, Brazil.