By Delia Ruelas

On Sunday, Sept, 29, at 12pm, the inauguration of the Capilla del Muelle will take place in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, which celebrated its centennial this year.

The construction of this chapel by the sea aims to express gratitude for the revitalization of the hotel, which provides employment to hundreds of families.

It also serves as a space to remember all the family members and collaborators who have passed away during the last century of the hotel’s history.

Hugo Antonio Torres, the president of the hotel’s board of directors, stated that the chapel was built using wood from parts of the pier that were dislodged during recent winter storms.

“The pandemic was a very difficult time, so we are very grateful to be here after many of our friends are no longer with us,”he said.

“We invite the community to participate; we will be at the Hotel Rosarito gardens at the chapel starting at 11am on Sept. 29, before inaugurating the fourth edition of the event Café en el Mar.”

The chapel holds various meanings for Baja California and Rosarito, Mr. Torres said. “The chapel has many significances; it is to support people who lost loved ones not only during the pandemic but in other situations we know, such as violence or people who leave home and never return.”

The altarpiece of the Virgin of Guadalupe was handmade in a small town in Michoacán, as was the bell, which was created at a foundry in Pachuca, Hidalgo, dedicated specifically to making bells for churches, schools, museums, and events.

The chapel was constructed by the hotel staff and features openings with views of the sea.

“The chapel is made from wood that the sea washed away in the storm of Feb, 19, which damaged part of the pier. We recovered that wood and built the chapel from Douglas Fir, a tree that can grow up to 400 feet tall, native to Washington in the United States and southern Canada. This type of wood can last a lifetime and even turns to stone when used in pilings in the sea.”

He added that the construction of the chapel took a month and a half. “It was quick; we already had the idea, the drawings, and the dream in our minds since 2020. What we imagined was translated into the architectural design, and it is something for the history of the hotel, marking this emblematic date of 100 years.”

He concluded by encouraging the community and parishioners to approach with confidence to offer prayers for one another and to ask for the safety of Baja California and Mexico.