Manaus Brazil Temple Wiki

Plans to build a temple in Manaus, Brazil, were announced 23 May 2007 by the First Presidency in a letter to priesthood leaders. Manaus is located in northwestern Brazil, in the Amazon Basin.

The new temple will be Brazil’s sixth, and is the 135th operating, under construction or announced temple of the Church.

“We are confident that this will be a blessing to the many faithful saints in this and surrounding areas who have had to travel long distances to enjoy the blessings of the temple,” the letter stated. “Specific stakes to be included in the temple district will be announced at a later date.”

“We commend the saints for their devotion and faithfulness, and are thankful for the blessings that will come to them through the construction of a 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.

Brazil Temples at Time of Announcement

Announced

• –

Under Construction

• Curitiba Brazil [2005]

Dedicated

• Campinas Brazil [2002]
• Porto Alegre Brazil [2000]
• Recife Brazil [2000]
• São Paulo Brazil [1978]

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.

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.

The dedication was held the next day, on Sunday, June 10, 2012 over 3 sessions. President Dieter F. 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.

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.

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.

Cladding

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Water Course

Windows

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Spandrel panel

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.

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Entry

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Creation Room

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Garden Room

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World Room

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Terrestrial Room

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The general contractor was Construtora Hoss, São Paulo, Brazil.