The Church in Belgium
The first Belgian Latter-day Saints were baptized in 1888. The earliest growth in Belgium was in French-speaking cities, but the Church’s presence in the Flanders region (Dutch-speaking) grew significantly after World War II. Today, Brussels is home to the European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2021 the Brussels Belgium Temple was announced.
Visit the Newsroom to see current events of the Church in Belgium.
History of the Church in Belgium
The first attempts to preach the restored gospel in regions of Belgium began as early as the 1860s. However, it was not until the late 1880s—after Mischa Markow, a Serbian missionary, baptized Henrietta Esselmann and her children in Antwerp—that missionaries began to travel to Belgium more regularly. By the mid-1890s, missionaries from the Netherlands Mission established branches in Antwerp, Liège, and Brussels. While many early members soon immigrated to Utah, a small group of Belgian Saints remained and continued to share the gospel.
Situated between France, Germany, and the Netherlands, Belgium is a nation with two distinct linguistic regions—a puzzle that has marked the history of the Church in the nation. For much of the history of the Church in Belgium, responsibility for overseeing missionary efforts has been split between the French and Netherlands Missions. Beginning in 1924, branches were organized in many French-speaking Walloon cities, and meetinghouses were built to accommodate the growing number of converts. These successes led to the organization of the French-speaking Brussels Belgium Stake in 1977.
However, few missionaries traveled to Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region in the north, before 1947. A district was organized in Antwerp in 1948, and Dutch-speaking congregations were soon formed. Following the organization of the Antwerp Belgium Mission in 1975, the Church in Flanders experienced substantial growth. The Dutch-speaking Antwerp Belgium Stake was organized in 1994.
Living in a diverse, multicultural nation, Belgian Saints have worked to build “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3) across language, culture, and experience in their local communities. They have sought unique opportunities to have thoughtful discussions about faith through media, cultural events, and academic conferences. On April 4, 2021, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to build a temple in Brussels.
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Notes
- Antwerp District Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1962–1989. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- Chard, Gary R. “A History of the French Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1850–1960.” Master’s thesis, Utah State University, 1965.
- De Ster, 1896–1999.
- Horizon: Tijdschrift over de mormoonse gemeenschap. 2 vols. 1982–83.
- Kahne, Marcel. Histoire du District de Liège, 1889–1997. Self-published, 1997.
- L’Etoile, 1930–99.
- Le Liahona, 2000–.
- Lemble, Jean. Dieu et les Français: Les Saints des Derniers Jours Francophones. Paris: Liahona, 1986.
- Liahona (Dutch), 2000–.
- Markow, Mischa. “Life History of Mischa Markow.” Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1841–1977. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- Rodriguez, Derin Head. “Charles A. Didier,” in From Every Nation (Deseret Book, 1990), 17–29.
- Tuffin, George. Mormonen in Verlaanderen, Deel 1, 1840–1959. Self-published, 2012.
- Tuffin, George. Mormonen in Verlaanderen, Deel 2, 1960–1969. Self-published, 2018.