Representatives from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were among a delegation of interfaith leaders invited to meet with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa as he prepared to leave office at the end of his presidential term. Twenty-nine faith leaders from various religious denominations in Portugal were present.
The reception in Belém Palace echoed the inaugural interfaith gathering nearly a decade ago in 2016, when the then newly elected President met with national faith leaders at the Central Mosque in Lisbon. This decade of engagement between the President’s office and national faith leaders set the tone for this year’s farewell meeting, which once again highlighted Portugal’s strong commitment to freedom of religion, mutual respect, and interfaith dialogue.
Representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were Paulo Adriano, National Communications Director, and Joaquim Moreira, who serves as the Church’s government relations and interfaith specialist in Portugal.
As a gesture of appreciation, Brother Moreira presented the President with a rare Portuguese edition of the Book of Mormon from the 1960s, a meaningful gift that reflected both their gratitude and the Church’s long-standing presence in the country. In 2025, the Church celebrated its 50th anniversary in Portugal, and today has approximately 50,000 members nationwide.
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During the presidential reception, interfaith leaders expressed appreciation for President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s commitment throughout his tenure to protecting religious liberty and encouraging cooperation between the state and religious communities. The President, in turn, recognised the important contributions of faith communities in promoting ethical values, social responsibility, and unity within Portuguese society.
“Over the years, Portugal has become a model of sincere friendship and cooperation among faith communities,” said Brother Adriano. “We are deeply grateful to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for his service and for the respect he has consistently shown to the Church. The strong interfaith relationships built during his presidency will endure, and we look forward to continuing this spirit of collaboration with the new President, President António José Seguro, in the years ahead.”
At the conclusion of the presidential reception, faith leaders expressed confidence that interfaith cooperation in Portugal will continue to flourish, contributing to the unity, stability and well-being of the nation. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa left office on Monday 9 March, as President António José Seguro was sworn in, beginning a new term of leadership for the country.