Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Ground was broken for the first house of the Lord in the state of Paraíba on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Elder Joni L. Koch, Brazil Area President, presided at the service for the João Pessoa Brazil Temple with Church members, religious leaders, civic authorities, and other guests in attendance. "May the beginning of this work inspire us all to rededicate our lives to You and Your Beloved Son," said Elder Koch.¹

Temple Rendering

On July 8, 2024, the official exterior rendering of the João Pessoa Brazil Temple was released to the public.²

Temple Site

On November 20, 2023, the location of the João Pessoa Brazil Temple was announced as a 3.9-acre site located at the intersection of Rua Paulino Pinto and Avenida Ministro José Américo de Almeida in the Cabo Branco neighborhood of João Pessoa. Plans call for a temple of approximately 18,850 square feet.³

Temple Announcement

On October 1, 2023, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct the João Pessoa Brazil Temple at the October 2023 General Conference. João Pessoa is a port city in northeastern Brazil and the largest city in Paraíba state. The temple will be the 22nd in Brazil. The first known members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to live in Brazil immigrated from Germany in 1913. In 1988, Brazil became the third country outside the United States to have 50 stakes. At the time of the announcement, there were nearly 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in Brazil in approximately 2,175 congregations.⁴