The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Madagascar
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Madagascar | |
|---|---|
(logo in Malagasy) | |
| Area | Africa South |
| Members | 17,331 (2024)[1] |
| Stakes | 4 |
| Districts | 2 |
| Wards | 24 |
| Branches | 22 |
| Total Congregations[2] | 46 |
| Missions | 2 |
| Temples |
|
| FamilySearch Centers | 16[3] |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Madagascar refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Madagascar. In 1990, a small congregation was created in Madagascar. In 2024, there were 17,331 members in 46 congregations.
History
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1993* | 100 |
| 1995* | 400 |
| 1999 | 1,349 |
| 2004 | 3,088 |
| 2009 | 4,769 |
| 2014 | 10,322 |
| 2019 | 12,887 |
| 2024 | 17,331 |
| *Membership was published as a rounded number. | |
The first branch of the LDS Church in Madagascar was organized in 1990[5] with Razanapanala Ramianadrisoa as president. Ramiandrisoa had joined the LDS Church in France while studying there in 1986. The first LDS missionaries to enter Madagascar were Fred L. Forsgren and his wife Eileen who arrived in March 1991. The Church was legally recognized by the government of Madagascar in 1993.
Until 1998 missionary work in Madagascar was supervised from South Africa, but a separate mission for Madagascar was organized in 1998. The first LDS Church-built meetinghouse in Madagascar was completed in May 1999.
The Book of Mormon was translated to Malagasy in 2000. Also that year the first stake in Madagascar, the Antananarivo Madagascar Stake was organized with Dominique L. Andriamanantoa as president.[6]
In 2017, an outbreak of pneumonic and bubonic plague caused 80 nonnative missionaries to leave the island.[7] In 2020, the LDS Church temporarily canceled services and other public gatherings in response to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which resumed online and/or in person, depending on the congregation.[8]
Stakes and Districts
| Stake | Organized | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Antananarivo Madagascar Ampefiloha Stake | 22 Oct 2023 | Madagascar Antananarivo South |
| Antananarivo Madagascar Ivandry Stake | 13 Mar 2011 | Madagascar Antananarivo North |
| Antananarivo Madagascar Manakambahiny Stake | 17 Sep 2000 | Madagascar Antananarivo South |
| Antsirabe Madagascar Stake | 28 Nov 2010 | Madagascar Antananarivo South |
| Toamasina Madagascar Stake | 10 Oct 2010 | Madagascar Antananarivo North |
| Tolagnaro Madagascar District | 18 Mar 2018 | Madagascar Antananarivo South |
Congregations in Madagascar not part of a stake or district include:
- Ambositra Branch
- Anjoma Branch
- Fianarantsoa Branch
- Mahajanga Branch
- Mahavatse Branch
- Moramanga Branch
- Toliara Branch
- Tsianolondroa Branch
- Madagascar Antananarivo North Dispersed Members Unit
- Madagascar Antananarivo South Dispersed Members Unit
The Madagascar Antananarivo North and South Dispersed Members Units serves families and individuals in Madagascar that is not in proximity of a meetinghouse.
Mission
The Madagascar Antananarivo Mission was created on 1 July 1998 as a division of the South Africa Durban and the South Africa Johannesburg Missions.[9] The Madagascar Antananarivo North Mission encompasses Northern Madagascar and all of Mauritius and Reunion. The Madagascar Antananarivo South Mission encompasses Southern Madagascar.
| Mission | Organized |
|---|---|
| Madagascar Antananarivo North | June 2024 |
| Madagascar Antananarivo South | 1 July 1998 |
Mauritius
The LDS Church reported 585 members in 3 congregations in Mauritius for year-end 2024.[10] The Mauritius District consists of the Flacq Branch, Phoenix Branch, and Rose Hill Branch.
Reunion
The LDS Church reported 859 members in 4 congregations and 5 family history centers in Reunion for year-end 2024.[11] The St Denis Reunion District consists of the Le Port Branch, St Denis Branch, St Marie Branch, and St Pierre Branch. Family history centers are located at each of those meetinghouses.[12]
Temples
As of November 2025, Madagascar is in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple District. On October 3, 2021, in the Saturday Afternoon session of General Conference, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple.
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Size: Notes: |
Antananarivo, Madagascar 3 October 2021 by Russell M. Nelson[14][15] 15 March 2025 by Denelson Silva[16] 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) on a 9.8-acre (4.0 ha) site Site announced on December 11, 2023[13] | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Madagascar", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 10 June 2023
- ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
- ^ Madagascar Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved February 22, 2023
- ^ Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Madagascar
- ^ Mindy Anne Selu, "Measuring Blessings in Madagascar", Liahona, April 2016.
- ^ Deseret News Church Almanac, 2005 Edition, p. 370-371
- ^ Mims, Bob (October 19, 2017), Mormon missionaries evacuated because of Madagascar plague, The Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved January 29, 2023
- ^ Lovett, Ian. "Mormon Church Cancels Services World-Wide Amid Coronavirus Crisis", The Wall Street Journal, 12 March 2020. Retrieved on 31 March 2020.
- ^ Mortimer, Wm. James (2000), 1999-2000 Church Almanac, Deseret Morning News, p. 436, ISBN 1573454915
- ^ "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Mauritius", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 10 June 2023
- ^ "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Mauritius", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 10 June 2023
- ^ Reunion Family History Centers Map, familysearch.org, retrieved 10 June 2023
- ^ As verified here.
- ^ "13 new temple locations announced by President Nelson as conference closes", Church News, Deseret News, 3 Oct 2021
- ^ "At the October 2021 General Conference, the Prophet Says the Church Will Build 13 More Temples", Newsroom, LDS Church, 3 Oct 2021
- ^ As verified here.
External links
- Newsroom (Madagascar) - Facts and Statistics
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site