Ground Broken for the Teresina Brazil Temple

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Teresina Brazil Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

Elder Ciro Schmeil of the Brazil Area Presidency presided at the event, offering a dedicatory prayer at the future site of the house of the Lord.

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“We are thankful, Father, that we have access to temple covenants that teach us about our divine identity, that we are Your children, and that the Lord has a plan for each of us,” he prayed.

In his remarks prior to his prayer, Elder Schmeil spoke about the blessings and purpose of worshipping in the house of the Lord.

“The role of the temple is to connect us with the Savior Jesus Christ, because without Him we cannot return to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father,” he said.

For many, the groundbreaking represented more than the beginning of a construction project. It was the fulfillment of a hope nurtured over decades by members who helped build the history of the Church in the city and throughout the region, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Latter-day Saints in Piauí.

Roberto Andrade, a pioneer member and the first person baptized in Teresina, recalled the early days of the Church in the city.

“In 1984, we started practically from nothing, and today having the blessing of seeing the temple here is wonderful,” he said. “I was there with six other people. From that simple beginning to this great moment, seeing the groundbreaking for the temple here in Teresina is a source of great happiness.”

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Theresa Rachel Mendes, who became a member of the Church in May 22, 1994 when she was baptized at age 16, spoke about how the temple holds a central place in her and her family’s lives.

“The temple has great meaning and power for me, since for a long time I was the only member of the Church in my family. I taught and continue to teach my children about the importance of the house of the Lord and the power of the covenants made in that holy place, when we are obedient,” she said.

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About the Teresina Brazil Temple

Over 1.5 million Latter-day Saints call Brazil home, meeting in around 2,000 congregations.

“Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ,” he said then. “Jesus Christ is the reason we build temples. Each is His holy house.”

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Dedicated houses of the Lord in Brazil include the Belém, Brasília, Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo Brazil Temples.

Latter-day Saints consider each temple a house of the Lord and the most sacred place of worship on earth. Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses (chapels). All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses. The primary purpose of temples is for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ to participate in sacred ceremonies such as marriages, which unite families forever, and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living.