| The Chapel of the Snows | |
|---|---|
 The Chapel of the Snows, 2008 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Christianity (Catholic,Latter Day Saints,Protestant) |
| Region | McMurdo Sound (Ross Island) |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Year consecrated | 1956 |
| Location | |
| Location | Antarctica |
| Municipality | McMurdo Station |
| State | Antarctic Treaty System |
 Interactive map of The Chapel of the Snows | |
| Territory | Antarctica |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Modern |
| Funded by | United States Government |
| Completed | 1956 (destroyed by fire in 1978, rebuilt in 1989) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 63 |
| Dome | 0 |
| Spire | 1 |
| Materials | Wood |
TheChapel of the Snows is anon-denominational Christian church at the United States'McMurdo Station onRoss Island, Antarctica. Initially built from scrap material in 1956, it burned down in 1978 and was rebuilt in 1989. It is one ofeight churches on Antarctica and the only interfaith church there, having both Protestant and Catholic services. In addition, the Church also hosts several other religious groups and community organizations, including a sobriety group. Each year the famedErebus Chalice is brought down for theaustral summer.
The church is noted for its southerly religious location and unique architectural flourishes, such as penguins in the stained glass windows.[1]
The chapel is thesouthernmost dedicated religious building in the world and has regularCatholic andProtestant services. From September to March—theaustral summer—the chapel is staffed by rotational chaplains. Historically, theDiocese of Christchurch supplied Roman Catholic priests and theU.S. Air National Guard had provided Protestant chaplains. As of 2015, chaplains are entirely military personnel from both the Air National Guard and US Navy, each serving for about four to six weeks on rotation. The chapel is also host to services and meetings for other faith groups such asLatter Day Saints,Baháʼí, andBuddhism and non-religious groups such asAlcoholics Anonymous. These meetings are mostly dependent on lay leadership as the points of contact and facilitators. The building itself holds about 60 worshippers and contains a small meeting room, aBlessed Sacrament chapel, two clergy offices, a small kitchen, and a restroom.[2]
The chapel features custom stained glass which depict the Antarctica Continent, theErebus Chalice (during austral summers only), and memorabilia from the US Navy's historic involvement inOperation Deep Freeze. The altar of the Chapel of the Snows is believed to come fromSt Saviour's Chapel inLyttelton, New Zealand,[3] whereRobert Falcon Scott worshiped prior to embarking on the ill-fatedTerra Nova Expedition.[4]
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The original Chapel of the Snows was built in 1956 from scrap construction materials by theUS Navy Seabees, based out ofPort Hueneme, California. The original chapel burned down in 1978 and was replaced with a new temporary chapel. The current chapel was dedicated in 1989. The makeshift building was then converted to other uses and itself burned down in 1991, according to former South Pole field engineer Bill Spindler.[2]
In 2015, the Catholic Priest that had conducted services there stopped visiting at that time, due to a decline in attendance. This marked 57 years of services in Antarctica by the Catholic Church of New Zealand.[5] A military chaplain continues to provide inter-denominational services.[5]
The chapel is one of the buildings that might have been replaced as part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernization for Science project, an initiative in the 2010s to upgrade and improve facilities at McMurdo.[6]
Media related toChapel of the Snows at Wikimedia Commons