La Luz del Mundo

La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World) is a Christian denomination with international headquarters in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Its flagship church in Guadalajara is said to be the largest non-Catholic house of worship in Latin America. It is characterized by its pyramidal shape and innovative structure. It was erected between 1983 and 1991, largely by the members of the church. It is a notable architectural feature in Guadalajara despite being in a working-class district on the outskirts of the city. A local architect, Leopoldo Fernandez Font, designed the structure; project management was done by Joel Silva and José Rangel, and the executive engineer was Mario Uribe.

Built to accommodate 12,000 worshipers, the temple is used for annual ceremonies. Members come from all over the world every August 14 to celebrate the "Santa Cena" (Last Supper) as well as on February 14 to commemorate the birthday of the group's current leader, Samuel Joaquín Flores (known to followers as "El Apostól de Cristo", "The Apostle of Jesus Christ").

In accordance with the movement's teachings, the building's design represents the infinite power and existence of God. Its 7 levels over a base ("menorah") symbolize the seven spirits of God and the progressive steps toward the human spirit's perfection.

The church currently claims 3,500 temples around the world and 5 million members in more than 40 countries and territories, including Australia, Israel, Russia, Cape Verde, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Moldova, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Romania, Norway, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Curaçao, Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Canada, United States, and Mexico.

External links

* http://www.lldm.org
* http://www.lldmusa.org
* http://www.lldm-london.com