Description
Approaching St. Lazare Church just before sunset we hear the sound of a harp echoing within. 186 people from all over the world stand in white robes each with a single word scrawled across their chest. “Somedays, my faith seems a flightless bird…” United in white robes, in poetry, dwarfed by 12th century architecture we link arms to make phrases. Global rituals shine on the white robes, we become screens for each other, gifting beautiful images to one another. We raise our arms in Christ like poses to host these spirits — a Cao Dai ritual from Vietnam; Orlando Vera ritual in Peru; an Easter ritual in Ethiopia… collected by Vincent Moon. The cathedral dome becomes a projected melting pot of ritual practice, showcasing humanity’s quest for connection, for meaning, for truth. Mira Awad sings out in Arabic, a haunting solo blends into a beautiful duet with Hadas Kleinman playing the cello. The extroverted crowd is silent. Leah Siegel sings a hopeful prayer, “Death is Not the End.” In this moment, humanity feels eternal, as if death must not be the end…