Notre Dame students turned a brutal cold snap into something beautiful, building an outdoor ice chapel that hosted a Candlemas Mass and drew thousands, combining architecture, faith, and community in a snowy spectacle.
When winter slammed the campus, a group of students chose creativity over hiding indoors, hauling snow and water to craft a chapel on North Quad. What started as an idea among architecture and engineering students grew into a full structure complete with carved fixtures and stained-glass effects. The project became a public gathering point, proving practical skill and spiritual impulse can coexist even in freezing conditions.
Rather than letting the cold dictate plans, the builders treated the snow like a medium, molding seats, an altar, and a crucifix from compacted snow and water. Their work attracted more than a thousand onlookers and worshippers who came to see the chapel and join a service. The effort blended student labor, artistic sensibility, and a desire to mark a religious tradition outdoors.
The timing tied to Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, observed forty days after Christmas, when Mary presented Jesus at the temple. Celebrants sang hymns inside and around the icy structure, including the university’s alma mater, fostering a sense of continuity with campus traditions. Singing and ritual gave the cold-built chapel warmth in atmosphere even if the temperature stayed frosty.
They also documented the work and the service with video, inviting those who couldn’t attend to watch the event unfold. The visual record shows the chapel’s curves, the people gathered on the quad, and the care put into every carved detail. Watching the footage gives a better sense of scale and the students’ craftsmanship than a simple description ever could.
The chapel’s origin came from a simpler construction nearby: an igloo that sparked the idea of much more ambitious architecture. The igloo built by a sophomore inspired seniors and resident assistants to raise the bar and assemble a chapel-sized structure. From that tiny prototype sprouted a collaborative project that consumed dozens of hours of work and many helping hands.
“On Monday, February 2, more than 2,000 students gathered on North Quad for Mass outside an ice chapel built by seniors and Coyle Hall RAs Wesley Buonerba and Martin Soros.
Soros, a civil engineering major, and Buonerba, who studies architecture, spent over 50 hours constructing the chapel. They were inspired by Coyle Hall sophomore Liam Devine, who created an ice igloo nearby.
Everything from the crucifix, candle holders, cross, and altar was created or carved from a mixture of snow and water.”
Stained-glass windows are a hallmark of chapel design, and the students recreated that effect using colored materials and the translucence of ice itself. Panels caught and filtered winter light, throwing subtle color across the interior when the sun managed to peek through. The result felt intentional and reverent, not merely whimsical.
Convincing a priest to celebrate Mass outdoors in subzero weather took an extra nudge; initial doubts about safety and comfort were understandable. The students approached their priest-in-residence, who was wary at first because of the cold. With another clergy member agreeing to preach the homily, the priest consented to celebrate, bringing additional ministers to assist.
“…after nearly a week of building, the two were inspired to ask Father Haake, their priest-in-residence in Coyle Hall (currently housed in Zahm Hall), to celebrate Mass in the snowy structure.
According to Father Haake, he initially denied the students’ request because of the frigid temperatures. But after Holy Cross Father Pete McCormick, assistant vice president of campus ministry, agreed to preach the homily, Father Haake was persuaded to say the Mass with Father McCormick and two other Holy Cross priests.”
The crowd’s reaction showed appreciation for the students’ work and for bringing faith into a shared public space. Spectators clustered close to hear readings and music, holding candles and braving numb fingers to be part of the moment. For many, the chapel became more than ice and snow; it became a symbol of what a community can create together.
After the service, groups lingered, comparing notes on how it was built and joking about what might be attempted next winter. The project showcased hands-on skills—architecture, engineering, and design—applied outside of a classroom setting. It left a clear impression that students will use whatever the season hands them to build something meaningful and memorable.
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