Beneath Argentina’s sky lies La Capilla a semi-rural place. It is in the Florencio Varela district. Though part of Florencio Varela it stands apart from Gran Buenos Aires.
La Capilla owes its name to the Presbyterian Church of St. John. Its story is closely tied to this church. On March 27 1854 the cornerstone of the Scottish Presbyterian Church was laid. It was dedicated to Saint John. It stood on Route 53 the old road to Chascomús.
Back in 1824 John and William Robertson proposed a deal to Governor Martín Rodríguez. They would bring Scottish families for sheep farming and agriculture. They asked for suitable land south of the province. They also wanted money and tools as a loan. The colony would have its own elected authorities. They would have their own militia. They were free to practice their Protestant faith. President Rivadavia approved this on May 11 1824. It was the first official recognition of religious freedom in the country.
The colonists arrived in Buenos Aires on the Symmetry of Scarboro in August 1825. The Robertsons covered the costs. The settlement was to be far from the city. It was named Santa Catalina in Lomas de Zamora. But the Robertsons went broke after the war with Brazil. The Lavalle revolution ended the three-year project.
More than two hundred Scots settled in Monte Grande. They began making bricks for their homes. They cleared the thistle around them. But the thistle was a welcome sign. It is Scotland’s national flower. It covered large areas in both this new land and their homeland.
They farmed and raised animals. They built a mill to make corn flour. They protected their crops with fences. They made transport easier with cushioned carts. They made and packed butter for market. They also built a chapel that is now gone.
This peace was broken by conflicts. These were between Unitarians and Federales. After the battle of Puente de Márquez in 1829 the colony scattered. They moved to nearby areas like Brandsen Chascomús and Quilmes. Some families prospered. The Davidsons were one such family.
John Davidson and Margaret Campbell donated eight acres. This land was next to the road to Chascomús now Route 53. It was to build a church in the area.
Despite being neighbors the Hudsons were not founders. They were American and Methodist. They looked down on the Scots.
The Capilla Saint John was designed by Eduardo Taylor. Alexander Mc Phail and Roque Petruchi built it. It is in the Gothic style.
On March 27 1854 the cornerstone was laid. It was dedicated to Saint John. It became the first evangelist church in a rural area. Later churches were built in Jeppener and Chascomús. Before this colonists traveled far to the Scottish Chapel for weddings and baptisms.
At the inauguration Reverend James Smith supervised. Mr. Gilbert Ramsay gave a speech. He said this building represents a monument to the first Scottish colonists. It is a testament and incentive for their descendants. It is a legacy not to be lost. It is a meeting point for future immigrants. It is a bond of sacred union.
Those at the inauguration signed a document. It stated that the cornerstone was laid by Rev. James Smith. It was for the Scottish Presbyterian congregation. These members lived in Quilmes and San Vicente districts. Witnesses signed on March 27 1854.
The document was placed in a bottle. This bottle was put in a lead box with newspapers and coins. All of this was placed on a stone.
After a year the Capilla had its own minister. This saved Reverend James Smith from traveling from the capital. Francis Gebie was the first permanent minister. He lived at the church and served for 27 years. Reverend Lachlan Mc Neill followed him until 1900. After that services were sporadic.
Years passed and landowners began to move. In 1911 the Presbyterian Church of San Andrés was built in Temperley. It was larger than the Capilla Saint Johns of Florencio Varela. After almost a hundred years the Capilla closed on September 6 1953. It was abandoned. John Kent was the last minister to hold service there.
The land was sold to a farmer in 1968. The chapel was used for years as a vegetable shed.
On November 26 2009 a fire destroyed its roof and wooden door. It was declared a Provincial Historical Monument in 1998. But no preservation work was done. An important part of Florencio Varela’s history was lost. This was despite Mr. Gilbert Ramsay’s words that this heritage would not be lost.
In 2012 neighbors special guests and church members gathered. They celebrated the church’s location. The Association of Friends of the Scottish Chapel organized the event. The Municipality of Florencio Varela supported it.
Today La Capilla stands as a reminder. It reminds us of the Scottish pioneers. Their faith and their struggles shaped this land. The echoes of their hymns and the stones of their chapel tell a story. This is a story of resilience community and the enduring power of faith.