On Oct. 16, governor of the Brazilian State of Sao Paulo Geraldo Alckmin signed a bill passed by the state legislative body which officially declares Oct. 22 of each year as “Adventist Day.” The state’s new law, church leaders believe, is a recognition of the ongoing work of the denomination across the territory, which has made significant contributions to society through projects in education, health, religious liberty, and social development.
The date chosen is significant for Seventh-day Adventists, since Oct. 22, 1844, marked the day of what is known in Adventist history as “The Great Disappointment.” After studying Bible prophecy for years, a group of Christians led by farmer-turned-preacher William Miller had concluded that Jesus would return to the earth on Oct. 22, 1844. While many deserted the group after Jesus did not come back on that day, a small group kept studying the Bible, to conclude that while the date of the prophecy was correct, their interpretation of the event happening on that day was wrong. Out of that group, the Seventh-day Church was born a few years later.
Adventists in Sao Paulo
With 45 million people, Sao Paulo is Brazil’s most populous state. According to records within the Adventist Membership System, there are over 262,000 baptized Seventh-day Adventist members across the state, or one Adventist member per 172 people. The Central Brazil Union Conference church region oversees the work of the church across the state, and its territory is in turn divided into eight sub-regions called conferences.
