Changes: A photographic journey through Creation through St. Francis' words

Vatican News

Emotions to Generate Change. The Dicastery for Communication is happy to present a preview of the new photo exhibition CHANGES. The words of St Francis create a photographic journey through the contrasts between the effects of climate change on the one hand, and the hope given by the emotions generated by God’s creation on the other.

The exhibition is a journey of 24 shots. For the duration of the XVI General Assembly of Synod of the Bishops, from 4th to 29th October, the Vatican Press Office will host a preview with a selection of 15 photos. The complete virtual exhibition, 24 shots in all, is available at https://emotionstogeneratechange.liabeltrami.it/.

The words of the Canticle of the Creatures accompany the photographs from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Amazonia, Florida, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Australia, Turkey. The shots selected and combined with St. Francis' prayer present a contrast between the beauty and wonder of Creation and the destruction of climate change, both to our environment and to populations around the world. It is an invitation to reflect on the actions to be taken to praise God with the same strength as St. Francis in a time of socio-ecological crisis. The name, ‘Changes,’ refers both to climate change and its impacts we are experimenting with increasing intensity, and to the challenge to change our gaze and our actions, in order to truly say “Praised be you, my Lord” today. 

Organized by the Dicastery for Communication in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the exhibition was curated by Lia and Marianna Beltrami from "Emotions to Generate Change" with "Formidable Partners". The featured photographers include Neşe Arı, Raffaele Merler, Giampaolo Calzà, Vassilis Ikoutas, Asaf Ud Daula, Sebastiano Rossitto, Ferran Paredes Rubio, and Francesca Larrain.

A preview of the exhibition will be presented on 4 October 2023 in the Holy See Press Ofice and will be on show for the whole duration of the Synod. An in-depth journey towards COP in Dubai will follow, with other potential events in Davos in January, St Peter’s Square in May, Cannes, New York City in September, and others to be defined.