About 70,000 people witnessed Bishop Edir Macedo laying the foundation stone for a replica of Solomon’s Temple in Sao Paulo.
São Paulo – On the morning of Sunday, 8th August 2010, thousands gathered in the area of Bras, east of Sao Paulo, to attend special services to mark the laying of the foundation stone of a replica of the original Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.
Bishop Edir Macedo, founder of Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) addressed the huge crowd saying the temple would not only serve members of the UCKG but that its doors would always be open “for all people, all believers and all who wish to enter, without distinction.” He prayed that all who entered would have their faith strengthened and find the answers they sought.
“Just as God was with Solomon when he descended and enveloped that holy place in a cloud, this would happen to all that are here … In a few weeks excavation of this land will begin,” Bishop Macedo said. Surrounded by bishops, pastors and thousands of churchgoers, he prayed for blessings on this major undertaking.
News of the building of the temple has attracted worldwide attention. The Temple of Solomon will be the largest project ever undertaken by the Universal Church. It will be made of stones cut exactly like those of the original temple, which first went up in 960 BC, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC, rebuilt and destroyed again by the Romans in the year 70 AD. Of the original structure in Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall is all that remains.
The replica temple, situated in Bras, will be surrounded by popular stores, factories and other trades. Victor Angelo Stefanel, civil engineer and works co-ordinator for the building said the temple would attract people from around the world. He had never imagined being responsible for a project of such magnitude.
“Any professional in the world would be honoured to be in my place, to be chosen to work, to develop and realise this dream . It is not our dream or Bishop Macedo’s dream, but it’s God’s,” he said.
The architect, Rogé-river Araujo who has been criticised for the architectural style to be used in the construction, said he was extremely flattered to be part of the project. “I think it is divine. As for criticism, it is unfounded. The project is as we’ve said, a replica of Solomon’s Temple. It is, therefore, is no longer a project or a building. The creator is God, who chose Bishop Edir Macedo to give it direction. To me it is a privilege to work on this project that the whole world is waiting for,” he said.
By: Unipress International
