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
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
