Helvécio Martins
Encyclopedia
Helvécio Martins was the first person of Black African descent
to be called as a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Born to descendants of African slaves in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, Martins joined the LDS Church in 1972, despite his knowledge that the LDS Church did not then allow members of Black African descent to hold the priesthood or to receive temple
ordinances.
On 9 June 1978, Martins and his family heard of the announcement
that the LDS Church was lifting its racial priesthood ban. After Martins received the priesthood and received his temple ordinances, he served as a bishop, a counselor to a stake president, and as a mission president
for the Brazil Fortaleza
Mission
.
In April 1990, Church President Ezra Taft Benson
called Martins as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Martins thus became the first black general authority
in LDS Church history.
Having served the standard five-year term as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, Martins was honorably released as a general authority on 30 September 1995. He died in Santo André, São Paulo
, Brazil at age 74.
Shortly before retiring, Martins dictated his life story which was published as The Autobiography of Elder Helvecio Martins.
Martins' son Marcus Martins
is the former chair of the department of religion at Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
to be called as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Born to descendants of African slaves in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Martins joined the LDS Church in 1972, despite his knowledge that the LDS Church did not then allow members of Black African descent to hold the priesthood or to receive temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
ordinances.
On 9 June 1978, Martins and his family heard of the announcement
Official Declaration—2
"Official Declaration—2" is the formal 1978 announcement by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that the church's priesthood would no longer be subject to restrictions based on race or skin color...
that the LDS Church was lifting its racial priesthood ban. After Martins received the priesthood and received his temple ordinances, he served as a bishop, a counselor to a stake president, and as a mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
for the Brazil Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
.
In April 1990, Church President Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:Born on a farm in Whitney, Idaho, Benson was the oldest of...
called Martins as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Martins thus became the first black general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in LDS Church history.
Having served the standard five-year term as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, Martins was honorably released as a general authority on 30 September 1995. He died in Santo André, São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil at age 74.
Shortly before retiring, Martins dictated his life story which was published as The Autobiography of Elder Helvecio Martins.
Martins' son Marcus Martins
Marcus Martins
Marcus Helvécio Martins is a former chairman of the Department of Religious Education at Brigham Young University Hawaii and the author of Setting the Record Straight: Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood...
is the former chair of the department of religion at Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
See also
- 1978 Revelation on Priesthood1978 Revelation on PriesthoodThe 1978 Revelation on Priesthood was a revelation to the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which reversed a long-standing policy excluding men of black African descent from the priesthood.-Background:...
- Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsBlacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsFrom 1849 to 1978, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had a policy against ordaining black men of African descent to the priesthood. Whereas other churches usually have full-time salaried clergy of whom individual members are often the chief minister to several families, in the LDS...
- Joseph W. SitatiJoseph W. SitatiJoseph Wafula Sitati has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2009, when he became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is the first black African general authority of the church and only the second general authority of black African...