The first place I produced an image for what would become my personal project “Faith and Ritual” was St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, a predominantly-Filipino house of worship. I’d heard that they had a unique and traditional celebration for Easter Morning, and the images I produced from that event stuck with me beyond what I initially thought would be a one-off feature photo.
It was fitting, then, that an event at that same church brought me back for an event that’s connected to the Easter season. The observance of Ash Wednesday was held this past week and my nagging guilt at neglecting this project the past year or so brought me out into the winter chill to a packed cathedral.
Years of daily newspaper work honed a sense in me when I’m experiencing a moment where meaningful photographs are to be found. That feeling immediately returned to me as I stood among hundreds of faithful and the creative muscle-memory of this project returned to me.
Ash Wednesday is the start of the season of Lent in the Christian calendar, and by chance this year it also coincided with the Islamic observance of Ramadan. I hope to visit a mosque or other place of community to produce new images showing this ritual, which shares a spirit with Lent of humility, introspection and quiet devotion.
