- Home
- Church
- Bulletin board
- Two countries, two men, one mission
The District Apostle Area of South America welcomes two new Apostles: Marcos Eli Alves and Diego Hernán Batista are active in Brazil and Argentina.
On Sunday, 29 March 2026, in Buenos Aires in Argentina, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider ordained Priest Marcos Eli Alves (born 1964) as an Apostle for Brazil. He succeeds Apostle José Antonio Bonaite, who has retired. Marcos Eli Alves was baptised in the year of his birth and was sealed in 1984. He was ordained as a Deacon in 1995, his first spiritual ministry. He is married with two children. In addition to Portuguese, his mother tongue, he also speaks English and Spanish. Until now, he has worked as a sales manager.
Shepherd Diego Hernán Batista (1978) has been ordained as an Apostle for Argentina and has taken over the working area of Apostle Claudio Rubén González. Diego Batista was baptised in 1978 and sealed the following year. In 2000 he was ordained as a Sub-deacon. Apostle Batista is a dentist. He is married, has one child, and speaks English in addition to his Spanish mother tongue.