Catholic religion appears to develop a new definition of its own behavioral codes. While ceremonies and architecture are codified to auto-celebrate and reflect the glorious past, when temporal and spiritual powers merged and were part of everyday cleric life and founded their values, today the clergy lives in a strange state of contrast. Contemporary society pressures it to confront with modern questions related with technology, globalization, consumerism, medias, and merchandise, values completely modified in the past 50 years.
The clergy is the natural custodian of tradition and handlers of the past, but today it frantically looks for an up to date, to communicate with believers in a new and effective way. On the brink between the inner need to represent traditions and past authority, and the attempt to modernize in order not to feel marginalized from the contemporary society, following the guidelines dictated by the summit and individually declined, the result is a version of Catholicism that may appears sometimes awkward and funny.
This series aims to explore this ridge-line, the difficult pursuit to harmonize traditions and present times.
Most of these photos where taken in Rome centre of the Catholic religion, seat of the Pope, offices of the Holy See, of St Peter Cathedral and in other pilgrimage sites, where religion interlaces naturally (or unnaturally?) with commerce, tourism, marketing and public life.
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A priest starring for a video set in a Basilica + souvenir shop in a church and its mailbox starring Pope Francis
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Different shaped crosses for sale + a priest reading while waiting someone to be confessed
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Empty interior of a church + Francis has opened the very first twitter account of a pope
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Framed pictures of Pope Francis on sale + a Benedictine laying down in prayer
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A nun contemplating her garden + an altar dedicated to the recent canonized Saint John Paul II
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Cowls for sale + a Romani women begs a priest licking an ice cream in St Peter Square
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Priests opening a ceremony bringing in procession cross and candles + bent candles on the wall of a church
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Nuns in pilgrimage to see the once a year opened Monastero di Tor de Specchi in Rome + sacred merchandise in a store in St Peter Square
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A Franciscan walking nearby the Vatican City + 2 Dominicans taking a mobile photo of frescoed saints
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A meditative low light interior of the church of Pavia Certosa + Facebook search for priest’s account
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A nun praying alone on a bench + wall of a church with modern and old evidence
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A priest giving a speech + shop window of an electronic and sacred things shop
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Lit empty chairs of a church + all necessary things to celebrate a church wedding
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Run down corner of a church interior +bishop walking in St Peter Sq
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Gospel of John (at John 2:13–16) page narrating the Cleansing fo the Temple, that tells of Jesus expelling the merchants and the money changers from the Temple + nuns selling merchandise inside a Basilica
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Run down organ and chairs in a corner of a church + an old statue of young Jesus