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Lisbon Portugal Temple

166th temple dedicated

Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple

Portugal was first dedicated for the preaching of the gospel in 1975 by then-Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Two years after being ordained President of the Church, President Monson announced a temple for Lisbon during October general conference on Oct. 2, 2010.

The first temple in Portugal — the Lisbon Portugal Temple — was dedicated by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sept. 15, 2019.

Accompanying Elder Andersen at the temple dedication was Elder José A. Teixeira — a Portugal native, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy and one of the country’s first Latter-day Saints. Elder Teixeira spoke of his father, Fernando Teixeira, who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the house of the Lord on Dec. 5, 2015.

Elder Teixeira’s father and mother had traveled more than 600 kilometers each way to visit the Madrid Spain Temple, where his father was a sealer. Unfortunately, Fernando Teixeira passed away before the dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple.

“I’m sure he is rejoicing today,” said Elder Teixeira at the dedication.

Elder Andersen told the members gathered at the ceremony that “we can never look at the Church in quite the same way once the house of the Lord is here. We’re moving into a new chapter of the Church in Portugal.”

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Please, Father, wilt Thou bless Thy worthy Saints who come to worship here, that their faith in Thee and in Thy Beloved Son might grow and flourish. May they receive a spiritual witness of the eternal purpose of their lives and of the ordinances they receive, and may they be faithful to the covenants and promises made before Thee and Thine angels.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Lisbon Portugal Temple here.

Timeline of the Lisbon Portugal Temple

October
02
2010
Announced

A temple for Lisbon, Portugal, was first announced by Church President Thomas S. Monson during October general conference on Oct. 2, 2010. It was the first of five temples announced in his conference address.

December
05
2015
Groundbreaking

Ground was broken for the Lisbon Portugal Temple on Dec. 5, 2015. The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Elder Patrick Kearon, Europe Area president.

August
17
2019
Open house

The public was invited to tour the completed house of the Lord from Aug. 17-31, 2019. More than 18,000 people toured the temple in this time, including the president of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Aug. 29.

September
15
2019
Dedication

The Lisbon Portugal Temple was dedicated by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sept. 15, 2019. Elder Andersen offered the dedicatory prayer and his remarks at the dedication in Portuguese.

President Monson announced a temple for Lisbon, Portugal, on Oct. 2, 2010. The groundbreaking ceremony for the house of the Lord was held Dec. 5, 2015.

Once construction was finished, visitors toured the completed temple from Aug. 17-31, 2019. The Lisbon Portugal Temple was dedicated Sept. 15, 2019, by Elder Andersen.

Architecture and Design of the Lisbon Portugal Temple

The 49-foot-tall, 24,730-square-foot Lisbon Portugal Temple was built on 4.6 acres and has a 134-foot gold-leafed spire with a statue of the angel Moroni on top. The exterior is made of Portuguese Moleanos limestone.

The interior color scheme features gold, blue, ochre and lavender. Art glass in the exterior temple walls and throughout the temple depict traditional Portuguese patterns and are accentuated with gold-leafed designs.

Interior Photos of the Lisbon Portugal Temple

Quick Facts

Announced

2 October 2010

Dedicated

15 September 2019

Location

Avenida Dom João II, Lote 4.73.01
Parque Das Nações
1990-364 Lisbon
Portugal

Appointments

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Portugal.

Fact #2

President Monson both dedicated Portugal for missionary work in 1975 and announced the Lisbon Portugal Temple in 2010.

Fact #3

This was the first temple dedicated by Elder Andersen as an Apostle.

Fact #4

It was dedicated the same month as another temple — the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, dedicated Sept. 1, 2019.

Fact #5

During devotionals held in honor of the temple on Sept. 14, 2019, Elder Andersen invited the missionaries and youth in Lisbon to return to the area for another devotional in the year 2069, the temple’s 50th anniversary, “if the Lord hasn’t come” by then. He added, “If you are sitting in this chapel 50 years from now, it will most likely mean that you have been true and faithful for all of your life. This is a wonderful goal to anticipate.”

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Portugal.

Fact #2

President Monson both dedicated Portugal for missionary work in 1975 and announced the Lisbon Portugal Temple in 2010.

Fact #3

This was the first temple dedicated by Elder Andersen as an Apostle.

Fact #4

It was dedicated the same month as another temple — the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, dedicated Sept. 1, 2019.

Fact #5

During devotionals held in honor of the temple on Sept. 14, 2019, Elder Andersen invited the missionaries and youth in Lisbon to return to the area for another devotional in the year 2069, the temple’s 50th anniversary, “if the Lord hasn’t come” by then. He added, “If you are sitting in this chapel 50 years from now, it will most likely mean that you have been true and faithful for all of your life. This is a wonderful goal to anticipate.”