religion

Saving the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel in: Saving the Holy Sepulchre: How Rival Christians Came Together to Rescue their Holiest Shrine, Oxford University Press

Saving the Holy Sepulchre posted in covers , israel , middle east , religion

Tricycle cover

Monks in Sukhothai, Thailand: Tricycle magazine.

Tricycle cover posted in covers , people , religion , thailand

Holy Sepulchre

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where Jesus was buried according to early legend, is a very busy place. Tour guides pass through with endless groups of picture-snapping visitors, each guide recounting the detailed history of the site. It's noisy, distracting, thouroughly touristy. After several days in and around the church I wanted to convey something more profound, more tranquil.

On some mornings the Greek Orthodox Metropol Daniel stood at at the main door and chatted with visitors. Seeing a pause in the continuous stream of tourists, and seeing his outline against the black emptiness of the doorway, I asked him to step forward into the light and made this image. The balance between the ancient carved wooden door and his relaxed pose, set against the black background, show something of the quietness of the site even amidst all the hubbub of the crowd.

On a personal note, it's interesting to spend time at what could be said to be one of the holiest sites of Christendom. One walks around thinking "This is amazing. I should be having a religious experience!!" But it is so noisy, so crowded, that it seems more like Disneyland. Then when you leave, a sign above the lintel, above the doorway in the photo, seen from the interior on the way out, says, "He is not here! He goes before you into Galilee."

Holy Sepulchre posted in frames , israel , middle east , people , religion

Tibetan Monk

The slow, meditative movement of this Tibetan monk as he processed around the walls of Labrang Monastery gave a deep feeling of quiet. Even though the monk was moving he maintained an inner stillness. A slow shutter speed of 1/8 second timed to match when he moved forward on one foot, gave a peaceful and energetic motion blur. The orange color accentuates the feeling and the space in front of him keeps the image roomy and open

Tibetan Monk posted in asia , frames , religion , tibet

Interreligious Friendship Group

The Interreligious Friendship Group was an informal gathering formed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to foster conversation between religious leaders of different faiths. Meeting in Jerusalem for a week, the group, comprised of Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu leaders had informal meetings to find common grond and build personal relationships.

A selection of images from the project is at www.davidsanger.com/stock/jerusalem

Interreligious Friendship Group posted in israel , middle east , projects , religion