Religion in Antarctica
Although Antarctica has only a tiny population, its inhabitants come from around the world, and include followers of numerous religious faiths.
According to The Association of Religion Data Archives, 72.00% of personnel in Antarctica adhere to Christianity, 23.60% are non-religious, 2.71% are Muslim, 1.00% are Hindu, and 0.70% are Buddhist. With a small human population of roughly 5,000 in summer months and 1,000 in winter, religious affiliation surveys may not represent a static reflection of current trends among the personnel on the continent.[1]
Antarctica has several religious buildings used for worship services: the Chapel of the Snows, Antarctica (a non-denominational Christian chapel at McMurdo Station), Trinity Church, Antarctica (a Russian Orthodox church at Bellingshausen Station), Santa Maria Reina de la Paz Church at the Villa Las Estrellas, and a permanent Catholic chapel made entirely of ice at Belgrano II Base.[2] The Worldwide Antarctic Program proposes building a Catholic chapel at Mario Zucchelli Station, Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica; while the first Catholic chapel (named after Saint Francis of Assisi) was built in 1976 at the Argentine Esperanza Base.[3] The southernmost Catholic chapel lies at the Argentine Belgrano II Base.[4]
There are also churches on some of the Sub-Antarctic islands, including Grytviken on South Georgia; and Port-aux-Français on the main island of Kerguelen, and St. Ivan Rilski Chapel (a Bulgarian Orthodox chapel at St. Kliment Ohridski Base), San Francisco de Asis Chapel at Esperanza Base, South Shetland Islands.
Notes and references
- ^ The Association of Religion Data Archives. Antarctica religious profile.
- ^ Worldwide Antarctic Program Church in Antarctica
- ^ [1] [2] www.marambio.aq/esperanza.htm
- ^ [3]
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