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Antananarivo Madagascar Temple

Groundbreaking of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple

Ground was broken for the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple on March 15, 2025, with Elder Denelson Silva — a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Africa South Area presidency — presiding. Among those in attendance was Toky Harilanto Andrianarivelo, the mayor of Antehiroka, who said that “the temple will change the lives of the people in the Antehiroka area.”

Elder Silva offered a dedicatory prayer on the site in Malagasy, the primary language spoken in Madagascar. “Father, many of Thy children in this land have dreamed of this day,” he prayed. “They worked hard, they prayed and expressed their love for Thee by striving to keep the commandments and to live in accordance with the covenants that they have made when they join Thy Church and kingdom on earth.”

Timeline of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple

October
03
2021
Announced
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Antananarivo, Madagascar, on Oct. 3, 2021, during October 2021 general conference. It was one of 13 temples announced at the conference — and the first for this island nation.
March
15
2025
Groundbreaking
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple on March 15, 2025. Elder Denelson Silva, first counselor in the Africa South Area presidency, presided over the ceremony.

The Antananarivo Madagascar Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on Oct. 3, 2021. Approximately three and a half years later, ground was broken for the temple on March 15, 2025, with Elder Denelson Silva presiding.

Architecture and Design of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple

According to site plans released by the Church on Dec. 11, 2023, the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple will be a single-story building of approximately 10,000 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 9.8-acre site in Fokontany Andranoro, Ambohibao, Antehiroka, Andranomena, in the northwest sector of Antananarivo.

A meetinghouse currently is located on Lot 208 A, Fokontany Andranoro, Commune Ambohibao, in the locality of Antehiroka in Andranomena. The lot is just west of the RN4 national road, along a section known as Lalana Général Andrimahazo. Patron housing and arrival facilities are planned for the temple grounds.

Additional Facts

Fact #1
This will be the first Latter-day Saint temple in Madagascar.
Fact #2
When this house of the Lord was announced, Madagascar, an island republic off the southeast coast of Africa, had approximately 13,000 Latter-day Saints among more than 40 congregations.
Fact #3
The closest temple to Antananarivo at the time of its announcement was the Durban South Africa Temple, a distance of approximately 1,300 miles away to the southwest.
Fact #4
Members in Madagascar also travel to the house of the Lord in Johannesburg, South Africa, a distance of as far as 1,600 miles away to the west.
Fact #5
Antananarivo, with a population of 1.4 million, is the capital of this African island nation.
Fact #6
Some 450 miles off the east coast of Madagascar lies Reunion Island — known as a “mountain in the sea.” Early missionary seeds here actually began in 1969 in France. When a temple site was announced for Antananarivo, there were 836 Latter-day Saints in four congregations on Reunion.

Quick Facts

Announced
3 October 2021
Groundbreaking
15 March 2025
GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Location

Lot 208 A, Fokontany Andranoro
Commune Ambohibao
Antananarivo
Madagascar

Additional Facts

Fact #1
This will be the first Latter-day Saint temple in Madagascar.
Fact #2
When this house of the Lord was announced, Madagascar, an island republic off the southeast coast of Africa, had approximately 13,000 Latter-day Saints among more than 40 congregations.
Fact #3
The closest temple to Antananarivo at the time of its announcement was the Durban South Africa Temple, a distance of approximately 1,300 miles away to the southwest.
Fact #4
Members in Madagascar also travel to the house of the Lord in Johannesburg, South Africa, a distance of as far as 1,600 miles away to the west.
Fact #5
Antananarivo, with a population of 1.4 million, is the capital of this African island nation.
Fact #6
Some 450 miles off the east coast of Madagascar lies Reunion Island — known as a “mountain in the sea.” Early missionary seeds here actually began in 1969 in France. When a temple site was announced for Antananarivo, there were 836 Latter-day Saints in four congregations on Reunion.