In the Argentinean Base Belgrano II (WAP ARG-Ø6), in the Land of Coats, there is a cave carved in the ice. It is the most southern place of religious worship on the planet, only 800 miles from the South Pole. The Catholic Chapel of “Our Lady of the Snows” serves the base throughout the year. Unlike the other temples that appear in this entrance, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows is dug in the ice instead of being a building to use.
The chapel is accessed through a system of tunnels in the subsoil, built to facilitate the movement of the resident personnel and scientists that works at Belgrano II Research Station (WAP ARG-Ø6).
Pedro Sarli LU1JHF, sent a link where (in spanish language) you can read the history of Base Belgrano I since the fist inauguration on 18 January 1955 and see lots of pics of this fantastic ice carved chapel. After an activity of 25 years, the old base General Belgrano (WAP ARG-Ø5) was inactivated. In order to continue the scientific programs and maintain the Argentine presence in the area, on February 5, 1979, the Belgrano II Base was founded as a replacement.
Click on the link below and enjoy the history:
Pic here above shows the inside view of the ice carved Chapel; belows its the entrance!
TNX LU1JHF
As our readers know, WAP is collecting information and pictures to document what important is, for the people in Antarctica, to have a place to pray Lord, an holy place to free one’s spirit and thank Lord for his magnificence.
In the year 2003, WAP did propose to the italian authorities build a little Church at the Italian Base “Mario Zucchelli Station” at Terra Nova Bay… our proposal is still alive waiting the wall of bureaucracy to fall down!