Religion in Antarctica
Religious buildings in Antarctica built since 1956, to correspond to the needs of a growing number of Christians to gather for worship. This goes hand in hand with the increasing development and exploration of the continent Antarctica.
History and environment
In the environment of Antarctica have already been established shortly after 1900 whaling stations and expedition camp. Even the neighboring west wind zone in the Roaring Forties and Howling Fifties was with sailors as extremely challenging, the transition to the Southern Ocean was with the dictum " Beyond the 40th parallel there is no law beyond the 50th no God " described. Since the 1950s, there are research stations in Antarctica. Staying in Antarctica makes considerable demands on the mental stability. The researchers in question are often separated for months from their families and from their native environment.
After several military operations began in the 1950s world a strong interest in exploring the Antarctic. The scientific work on the sixth continent was systematically expanded. As a major driving force for civilian research cooperation seemed the International Geophysical Year 1957-1958. At the Antarctic trips in its environment several significant Seismiker were involved who were Jesuit priest simultaneously, Edward A. Bradley (1923-1996) from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Henry F. Birch Hauer (1914-2003) from John Carroll University, Cleveland, and J. Joseph Lynch (1894-1987), director of the seismographic station of Fordham University, New York City, and Daniel J. Linehan (1904-1987) from the Weston Observatory at Boston.
It has been around since the 1950s, about 85 research stations in Antarctica, about half of which is used only in the summer. Within the Antarctic Convergence are on the French Kerguelen, built in the 1950 Catholic church of Notre -Dame des Vents in Port -aux -Français and at the instigation of Carl Anton Larsen built in 1913 Norwegian Lutheran Chapel in Grytviken, South Georgia. The Christ Church Cathedral in Stanley in the Falkland Islands serves as Anglican bishop church for the Falkland Islands and the British Antarctic Territory. The Catholic cathedral of Punta Arenas in Tierra del Fuego is the cathedral church for the Chilean territory claimed in Antarctica.
Almost all research stations have a small meeting room, which is provided for worship. For larger stations, such as more engaged communities separate buildings are widely used for religious purposes, often improvised steel container.
Activities and buildings in the South Polar Region
As the first cleric in the Antarctic applies Menster William ( 1913-2007 ). He took 1947 as a Catholic priest with the rank of Lieutenant Commander of the United States Navy in Operation High Jump in part and celebrated with over 2,000 participants from different confessions Holy Mass on the continent. In the same year a wooden cross and a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were built near the Chilean Arturo Prat Station. It is considered a monument of time before the International Geophysical Year and belongs to the protected monuments Antarctica.
In 1956, the first Chapel of the Snows was built as a non-denominational Christian chapel in the operated by the United States McMurdo Station. It is for a very made of ice building in the Argentine General Belgrano II Station the southernmost religious building in the world. It offered Catholic and Protestant religious services regularly. The chapel is also for events and meetings of other denominations, such as the Mormons, Baha'is and Buddhists, open and also serves secular communities such as Alcoholics Anonymous as a meeting place. The chapel was rebuilt after a fire in 1978 and consecrated in 1989 again.
In 1976 was built on the Argentine Esperanza station a St. Francis of Assisi chapel dedicated. The also Catholic chapel of the Virgin of Lujan is available on the Marambio station.
On Russian stations to practice their religion was forbidden in Soviet times. In 2002, the Patriarch Alexius II encouraged the initiative " A temple for the Antarctic " (Russian Храм Антарктиде ). 2004 Trinity Church was consecrated on King George Iceland near the Russian Bellingshausen Station. The church was built from Russian larch and cedar is expensive equipped and deliberately positioned itself as a highly visible landmark. The Moscow Patriarch Subordinate Trinity Church was first year-round supervised by a single priest, which, after a real cry for help, a second cleric was buried presents. Both are also involved in the repair and structural maintenance of the station. The cast changes every year. On 29 January 2007 the first church wedding in Antarctica took place there. The husband Eduardo Aliaga Ilabaca belonged to the crew of the Chilean Station, the wife Angelina Tschuldibina is Russian. Meanwhile, also took place first baptisms at the station.
The Ivan Rilski Chapel near the Bulgarian St. Kliment Ohridski Base on Livingston Island is an Orthodox chapel. The Catholic Chapel of Santa María Reina de la Paz in the Chilean Villa Las Estrellas on King George Iceland is a converted for worship container, refer to the 36 people on twelve benches.
Exterior view of Trinity Church on King George Iceland
Interior of Trinity Church
The Bulgarian Ivan Rilski Chapel
The Chilean chapel of Santa María Reina de la Paz
The now towered over by a Russian Orthodox Cross Cemetery Buromski the island, with more than 60 people buried there among the most important monuments of the Antarctic.
Special
In the context of Pakistan's Antarctic program are on the Jinnah Antarctic Station and Pakistani Muslims in Antarctica in use, but there are no separate mosque. A literal observance of the Muslim specifications, such as the daily prayers or fasting during Ramadan is not possible south of the Arctic Circle because of the vast polar days.