The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the groundbreaking of the Belém Brazil Temple.

Belém Brazil Temple Rendering of the Belém Brazil Temple. 2019 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, president of the Brazil Area for the Church, will preside at the Saturday, August 17, 2019, services.

Attendance at the site will be by invitation only. It is anticipated that the groundbreaking services will be transmitted via internet to local meetinghouses within the proposed temple district. Additional details will be forthcoming.

The temple was first announced at the April 3, 2016, general conference by then-President Thomas S. Monson.

The other Brazilian temples include the Campinas Brazil Temple, Curitiba Brazil Temple, Fortaleza Brazil Temple, Manaus Brazil Temple, Porto Alegre Brazil Temple, Recife Brazil Temple and São Paulo Brazil Temple. The Fortaleza Temple became the Church’s newest operating temple on June 2, 2019. Currently under construction is the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple and announced are the Brasília and Salvador temples. Once completed and dedicated, Brazil will have 11 temples.

After construction of the temple is completed, open house dates will be announced and public tours conducted. A date for dedication will also be announced.

There are currently 209 temples throughout the world either in operation, under construction or announced.

Members of the Church consider temples to be the “house of the Lord,” the most sacred places on earth. Unlike meetinghouses, where Sabbath worship and weekly activities take place, temples are open throughout the week and closed on Sundays.