Ground was broken on Aug. 1, 2026, for the Santos Brazil Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marking a significant milestone for the nearly 1.5 million members living in Brazil. Elder Ronald M. Barcellos, a General Authority Seventy and counselor in the Brazil Area presidency, presided over the ceremony, which celebrated the new construction on the site of the existing Jabaquara Ward meetinghouse.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which was livestreamed, was the first of six scheduled for Church temples in Brazil during the month of August. Elder Barcellos described the new house of the Lord as a powerful expression of divine affection for the region.
"The construction and dedication of a temple in the city of Santos stand as powerful evidence and an expression of God's love for His children in this region," Barcellos said during his remarks. He added that the project would bring "glorious blessings" to thousands and noted that such construction benefits not only Church members but the entire surrounding community and society.
The ceremony also featured remarks from Elder Claudio R.M. Costa, an emeritus General Authority Seventy who was born in Santos. Costa, who concluded his service as a general authority in 2019, referenced a 1996 general conference talk by the late President Russell M. Nelson titled "The Atonement."
During that address, President Nelson discussed how the purposes of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement converge through sacred temple work and the restored sealing power. Costa shared his personal testimony regarding celestial marriage, stating that families remain the center of the gospel and that the bonds of marriage can continue beyond this life.
The Santos Brazil Temple is planned as a two-story structure spanning approximately 23,000 square feet. According to Church site plans released in late 2022, the edifice will be constructed at Avenida Doutor Waldemar Leão, 305, in the Jabaquara neighborhood of Santos, located on São Vicente Island.
Currently, the closest operating temple to the Santos area is the São Paulo Brazil Temple, situated roughly 35 miles away. The new temple will serve as the 16th Latter-day Saint temple in Brazil and represents the fourth temple announced for the state of São Paulo. The project was first announced by President Russell M. Nelson on April 3, 2022, during the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2022 general conference.
The announcement of the Santos temple was part of a broader expansion of the Church's footprint in South America. At the time of the 2022 announcement, Brazil was home to approximately 1.5 million Latter-day Saints across 2,100 congregations.
While the first temple in Brazil and South America was dedicated in São Paulo in 1978—when the country had roughly 54,000 members—the current era of expansion has seen a rapid increase in sacred edifices. The Santos temple joins several others currently in the construction phase in Brazil, including the Ribeirão Preto, Londrina, Natal, João Pessoa, and Teresina temples.
The groundbreaking in Santos was the third temple groundbreaking held in Brazil in 2026, following ceremonies for the João Pessoa temple on Jan. 24 and the Teresina temple on April 18.
As the Church continues its expansion, the Belo Horizonte temple is scheduled for dedication on Aug. 16, 2026. The Santos temple remains under construction, with an open house and official dedication dates yet to be announced by the Church.
