Portugal: Chronology

The earliest known Latter-day Saints in Portugal were United States servicemen assigned to Lajes Field on the Azores Islands. By 1953 a servicemen’s group was functioning there as part of the French Mission.

The Lajes Branch, the first branch in Portugal, was organized.

Maria Morgado became the first known Portuguese convert to be baptized in Portugal.

The Carnation Revolution took place, leading to an increase in religious freedom in Portugal.

David M. Kennedy, special representative of the First Presidency, secured official recognition for the Church.

William Grant Bangerter, the first president of the Portugal Lisbon Mission, arrived in the country. He was soon followed by the first four missionaries, who were transferred from Brazil.

The Church began collaborating with local archivists to microfilm marriage and death records.

The Lisbon Branch was organized.

Maria Lourdes Dias Prista and her daughter, Maria José Dias Prista became the first converts to be baptized in continental Portugal.

The first baptism in Porto took place.

Julio do Rosario Tavares Branco and Fernando dos Reis Amaral became the first men in Portugal to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The first baptisms in Coimbra took place.

Fernando and Inês dos Reis Amaral became the first couple from Portugal to be sealed in the temple.

About 60 Saints from Lisbon chartered a bus and traveled to an area conference in Paris to see Church President Spencer W. Kimball.

Local members were called to lead efforts across the mission. Inês dos Reis Amaral was called as mission Relief Society leader, Izilda Alves da Silva Teixeira was called as the first mission Primary leader, and Julio do Rosario Tavares Branco was called as the mission Melchizedek Priesthood leader.

Following the June 9th revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy men, Alexandre R. Benidio became the first Portuguese Saint of black African descent to receive the priesthood.

Church membership in Portugal surpassed 1,000.

The Angra Branch, the first Portuguese branch in the Azores, was organized.

Members from the Porto and Coimbra Branches made the first temple excursion from Portugal to the Bern Switzerland Temple.

A youth conference was held for young Church members from throughout Portugal with nearly 300 youth in attendance.

The Lisbon Stake was organized with José Manuel da Costa Santos as president.

Fernando dos Reis Amaral became the first ordained patriarch in the Lisbon Stake.

The first baptisms in Madeira took place, and the Relief Society was organized there with Amelia de Nobrega Vieira as president.

Domitila and Joaquim Jose de Silva Aires became the first senior couple from Portugal to serve a mission.

Vitor Manuel Pereira Martins became the first native Portuguese mission president. He presided over the Portugal Lisbon North Mission with his wife Ana Bela da Gloria Jorge Cabido.

General conference was broadcast live in Portugal after a satellite dish was installed for the Lisbon Portugal Stake.

The Madrid Spain Temple was dedicated. Members in Portugal became part of the Madrid Temple district.

With over 35,000 members living in five stakes, Portugal had the second largest membership of Latter-day Saints among European countries.

José Augusto Teixeira da Silva became the first Portuguese member to be sustained as a General Authority Seventy.

Church President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple to be built in Lisbon, Portugal.

About 600 Church members and friends participated in a blood drive in response to an invitation by the First Presidency to have a day of service. With participation from almost all of the congregations in Portugal, this was the Church’s largest service activity ever held in the country.

Church membership surpassed 40,000.

A Latter-day Saint edition of the Bible in Portuguese became available online.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Lisbon Portugal Temple.

Mormon Helping Hands gathered and delivered needed supplies to victims of deadly forest fires in Portugal.