First Black General Authority
Helvécio Martins
1930–2005
1 topic · 3 dated events
Their part in each topic
Race and the Priesthood
First Black General Authority
A Petrobras executive in Rio de Janeiro, Martins joined the Church in 1972, accepted the restriction, served as the Church's public spokesman in Brazil, and with his wife Rudá donated to a temple they expected never to enter. Ordained in June 1978, he was sealed in the São Paulo temple that November and in March 1990 became the first General Authority of African descent.
In the timeline
3 events across 1 topics, chronological. Only events this person was actually part of — present at, responsible for, or the subject of — not every event where the name comes up.
A temple is announced for São Paulo
Brazilian Saints of mixed ancestry had been subject to lineage tracing for ordination since the 1940s; a 1967 instruction had shifted the burden of proof away from the individual. The temple announcement created a body of faithful members who were donating to and building a house they would not be allowed to enter. Leonard Arrington recorded hearing that this was one of the immediately precipitating factors of the revelation.
The First Presidency letter is announced, and canonized
The letter said: “He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple.” Sunstone called it probably the most photocopied document in the history of Church headquarters. On 30 September N. Eldon Tanner presented it to conference as a constituent assembly; the sustaining vote was unanimous, and it became Official Declaration 2. In November the São Paulo temple was dedicated and the Martins family was sealed, with their son Marcus — soon the first Black full-time missionary called after the revelation — serving as witness.
Helvécio Martins becomes the first Black General Authority
Thomas S. Monson read Martins's name among new Seventies at April conference. Neither the Deseret News nor the Salt Lake Tribune mentioned his race. The same period saw The Way to Perfection taken out of print and the temple ceremony's depiction of Satan with dark skin changed. Martins later wrote that he formally rejected the idea that he represented any group.
Appears alongside
People who share the most dated events with Helvécio Martins.
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