A groundbreaking ceremony for the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Elder Denelson Silva, First Counselor in the Africa South Area Presidency, presided at the event, accompanied by Elder Dwayne J. van Heerden, Area Seventy, and other local leaders and dignitaries.
“35 years ago, in 1990, the idea of a temple in Madagascar was merely a dream,” Elder Silva said. “But now, on this historic day, that dream has become a reality.”
| Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints join Elder Denelson Silva, First Counselor in the Africa South Area Presidency, in breaking ground for the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Saturday, March 15, 2025. 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 10 |
In the dedicatory prayer spoken in Malagasy, Elder Silva remarked that the building of the new temple is the result of the devotion of the Madagascar Saints.
“Father, many of Thy children in this land have dreamed of this day,” he prayed. “They worked hard, they prayed and expressed their love for Thee by striving to keep the commandments and to live in accordance with the covenants that they have made when they join Thy Church and kingdom on earth.”
After asking for a blessing on the future builders of the temple, Elder Silva asked, “that not only the workforce, but the neighborhood, this city, this country and all the other cities that will be part of the district of the future Antananarivo Madagascar Temple can also feel that Thy future house will bring more peace, more hope and bring more faith in their lives.”
Toky Harilanto Andrianarivelo, the Mayor of Antehiroka, shared, “The teachings shared during the meeting convinced me that it’s not just about building a church here; the temple will change the lives of the people in the Antehiroka area… I will tell the people of Antehiroka that this is a place of worship.”
| Madagascar Antananarivo Temple Rendering, January 2025. 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 3 |
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country off the southeastern coast of Africa and is the world’s fourth-largest island. This temple will be the first in Madagascar, home to more than 15,000 Latter-day Saints in over 40 congregations.
The preaching of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ formally began there in 1998, with the formation of the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission. In September 2000, the Antananarivo Madagascar Stake was organized.
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.