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Bring the saints closer by standing with them in photos

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

It started with a statue of St. Therese of Lisieux at the Sanctuary of Hope in Kansas City, Kan. I drove around that day searching for places of peace, hoping it would rub off on me when I was feeling anything but peaceful. I prayed for a while at the statue and something drew me to take a selfie. I had never done it before, but it turned out to be a way to consider the saint’s influence in my life. St. Therese, one of my favorites, has been a guide for a long time, including through my discernment into — and out of — a convent. 

Taking a selfie with a saint is like posing with a friend. I posted the first one on Instagram and a friend joked that it was in fact the statue that was standing with a saint instead of the other way around. I’ve taken pictures, since then, with the Holy Family, St. Ignatius, St. Ann, St. Francis of Assisi and more.

selfie st francis

Since the first selfie with a saint, I have logged similar photo opps in Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and more. Some of the photos include my favorite saints and others are a sort of travel log. Although some of the saints pop up in multiple photos, no two are alike because the statues of the same saint vary widely in appearance. 

Have you ever taken a selfie with a saint? Take one and share it with us on Twitter or Facebook.

 

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