Comprendre les religions, comprendre l'autre et ses différences.

Travail photographique sur les quatres grandes religions autour du monde.

Stephane Lehr, humanist photoreporter rss feed send to a friend print this page administrate french

Religions - report

Budhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, four big religions.

CONCEPTION OF GOD

Budhism: Budhism, from a traditional point of view, is a philosophy, a spirituality or a religion, which appeared in India in the 5th century b.c. Today it gathers about 230 to 500 million followers.

Judaism: Monotheistic religion founded by Abraham, according to the Bible, and that of ancient Israel, designated by God (Yahve) as the Promised Land. Jewish law was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai by God who concluded an “alliance” with the jewish people committing their loyaltly.

Budhism is one of the great oriental trends of thought and action, born in India in the 6th century before J.-C. Two women meditating in a temple in Yangoon in Burma.Judaism is one of the most ancient monotheistic religious traditions still practised today. Morning prayers in a small synagogue in Créteil, during a Bar mitzah.

Islam: Islam is at the same time a political and social system, as well as a montheistic religion
founded and taught by Mahomet in Arabia in the 7th century. Today, it gathers between 1 to 1.8 billion followers, called muslims. Chronologically, it is the third monotheistic religion relating to Abraham, after judaism and christianity, with which it has many points in common

Christianity: Christianity is a monotheistic religion grouping about 2.1 billion believers (called christians), based on the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, as reported in the New Testament, and which appeared after he was crucified by the roman authorities in the province of Judaea in the first century

Men praying in Sanaa, Yemen, the third sacred spot of islam.A young girl praying during holy week in the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris France.

Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religion. The values and the history of the jewish people are at the source of the foundation of other religions relating to Abraham.

Photo reporting in France.

Judaism designates tradition, religious culture and the way of life of the jews, formed by the descendants of the israelites from ancient Israel, together with a few converted minorities, along their two thousand years of diaspora. In addition to a religion, Judaism has a code of conduct, laws, rituals and customs not specifically religious.

Hebrew is a language pertaining to the center-northern branch of the family of semitic languages. It is closely related to arabic and aramanian languages.The jewish community in France includes 480.000 persons, according to the Jewish Agency, thus forming the largest jewish community in Europe.Hanouka is a jewish holiday also known as the Feast of Lights.According to jewish law, men and women are separated during prayer, generally by a wall or a curtain called a mechitza, or by placing women on the second floor.Portrait of the former great rabbi of France, Mr. Sitruk, and of the great rabbi of Paris, Mr. Messas.A shawl of prayer is a long woollen rectangle tipped with fringes (Tsitsit) which envelops the adult religious observant during the morning prayer.Bar mitzvah, also called jewish communion, is an aramanian word which could mean: Son of the Commandment. It’s at the age of 13, that the young jewish boy reaches religious majority.The French jewish community today comprises 480.000 persons, according to the Jewish Agency, which makes it the largest community in Europe.Father blessing his son with his shawl of prayer during the morning prayer in a synagogue in Creteil.Various prayers are recited early morning. The talit (shawl of prayer) is worn during the service, as well as tefilims (phylacteries), both are associated to specific blessings.Bar and Bat mitzva – Reaching religious majority, at 13 years old for boys, and 12 for girls.Brith mila, circumcision, is the ablation of the foreskin (prepuce) of boys eight days following their birth, in reference to the alliance with Abraham.


During the first centuries of the christian era, rabbis managed to maintain the Jewish faith, by reporting in writing the oral Torah revealed to Moses and transmitted through an uninterrupted chain.

Great rabbi of Paris, David Messas, during a speech at the synagogue of Saint Mandé, after the assassination of young Ilan Halimi.During Hanuka, the feast of lights, which lasts eight days, every night of the week each person lights a candle on the menorah, a chandelier with nine branches.

Pauline Bebe, first French woman rabbi, ordained in 1990, and founder of the jewish liberal community of the Paris region.

Today, 3 women rabbis practise in Paris. Accepted by the majority of the liberal movements, they are officially rejected by the orthodox community. The first tracks of women wishing to become rabbis go back to the 1860’s. Paula Ackerman is the first woman having practised as a rabbi in the United States, between 1950 and 1960, but was never ordained.

Pauline Bebe, first female rabbi in France, performing a Bar Mitzvah with a young jewish girl reading for the first time a text directly from the Torah.

Intereligious dialogue is a form of organised dialogue between religions or different spiritualities.

Dialogue among the differnt trends of a same religion is called “oecumenism”.

Interreligious conference in Paris. Several representatives:Mgr. Lustiger, Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Paris Mosque.Of jewish ancestry, his eminence Jean Marie Lustiger played a leading role in the relations between the jewish community and the Vatican. Photo taken during an interreligious meeting in Paris.

Interreligious cermemony in Herlisheim.

After the profanation of 127 tombs in the israelite cemetery. In the presence of Mr. Fillon, National Education Minister Mr. Joseph Sitruck, Great Rabbi of France, Mr. Dalil Boubakeur, Director of the Paris Mosque, and Mr. Lustiger.

Tribute and meditation after the desecration of a Jewish cemetery to Herlisheim.The discovery of the devastation of 127 Jewish graves in the village of Herlisheim in Alsace.


Portraits of french religious representatives.

Aron Jean-Marie Lustiger, born 17th september 1926 in Paris, died 5th August 2007 in Paris, archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005, ordained cardinal in 1983. He was a member of the French Academy.His Eminence Lustiger, archbishop of Paris performing a mass during the holy week in the Notre Dame of Paris cathedral.Meeting between his Eminence Lustiger, archbishop of Paris, and an old lady survivor of the camps, during a commemoration ceremony in Drancy.Sister Emmanuelle, born Madeleine Cinquin on november 16th, 1908 in Brussels, known for her charity work in Egypt for the children and the most bereft.Guy Gilbert, a priest with the street gangs.Joseph Sitruck, former great rabbi of France from june 1987 through 2008.Andre, the 23rd, born on november 7, 1942 in Paris, is a french catholic cardinal, archbishop of Paris and president of the Bishops Conference in France, since november 5, 2007.

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, gathering around the world, over 2.1 billion believers, called christians.

Photo reporting in France

The catholic faith is the most widespread religion in the world based on the teaching and life of Jesus of Nazareth, featuring Christ since 2000 years, as reported in the New Testament.

Christianity shares it’s origin and a number of texts with judaism, mainly the hebrew bible referred to by the christians as the Old Testament or the First Testament. Just like judaism and islam, christianity is generally defined as related to Abraham.

For christians, the Holy week, is the last week of Lent. It begins with the celebration of Palms and ends on Holy saturday with the celebration of easter eve.Opening week with Palm Sunday considered as one of the most important of the twelve feasts in the liturgical year. It is a holiday. The faithful bring palms to be blessed by the priest.After baptism water, the newly baptised take off their violet stole, and wear the white garment of baptism. Changing clothes means that the baptised are changing their lives.A young woman, accompanied by her godmather, being baptised by his Eminence the 23rd in Paris during Holy week. The term “baptism” comes from a greek word signifying “plunging” or “dipping”Baptising adults in the Notre Dame of Paris cathedral. The white baptism garment also symbolizes a gift of a new life for those two young women.Palm Sunday is celebrated on the sunday preceding easter. It commemorates two events at the same time, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and the passion and death of Christ.Path of the cross organized by the church of Paris, climbing the stairs that lead to the Montmartre church.Ceremony at the Notre Dame of Paris cathedral. Bathing feet as an act of humbleness.His Eminence the 23rd, meditating for a few minutes before the procession of the cross and the climbing of the steps of Montmartre.

Candles are used in catholic and orthodox churches to highlight liturgical moments, or as offerings to saints. The flame also symbolizes the Holy Spirit. A struggle between light and darkness.

Young girl in the Notre Dame of Paris cathedral lighting a candle symbolizing good as opposed to evil. The symbol of light is common to the three monotheistic religions.Candles are generally used in catholic and orthodox churches to highlight liturgical moments, or as an offering to saints. The flame also symbolizes the holy spirit.The symbol of light is represented by religions since ancient times and the metaphor of light, as opposed to darkness, is found in most philosophies.During the holy week, persons lighting candles, symbolizing learning from the lessons of the past and moving on to building the future, light as opposed to darkness.A little girl and her mother praying during the holy week, in profound meditation.To concentrate in order to fully enter into direct osmosis with God. Meditating eyes shut.

Various colored processions in the streets of Braga, Portugal, during the Holy week.

Photo reporting in Portugal.

Braga lights up slowly as processions wind down the streets. Braga starts the Holy week, a strong moment in the liturgical calendar. A very particular moment where each one may fully express his faith through the reconstitution of the last moments of Christ. All generations of faithful are present singing and holding torches, either representing biblical figures, or as simple spectators.
A little girl solemnly walking dressed as a small angel, a tiara ornated with stars on her head. A young man, fists tied, simulating the expressions of pain of Christ. The procession calmly winds down the streets of the town to be seen by the people of Braga and the neighbouring villages. .
It is at this particular period of the year, that Braga, spiritual capital of Portugal, meets again its authentic traditions. Situated in the center of Minho, northern region of Portugal, it is the town where the catholic fervor is the most anchored.. With its thirty churches for 100.000 inhabitants, it was easily named “Rome of Portugal”. A catholic fervor, yet tainted with a multitude of pagan rites which have not completely disappeared, nothwithstanding the efforts over the centuries of the church of Saint Martin of Dume, at the beginning of the 6th century, which had succeeded in converting the Sueve population of Braga to the catholic faith. The archbishop tried to eradicate all reference to pagan beliefs, such as casts, invoking satan or worship of the dead, but in vain. Fourteen centuries later, these ceremonials are still performed and exist in several feasts.
From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, ceremonies for oil blessings, feet bathing, bread sharing during the easter meal, accompany every night the village procession starting at the cathedral. During easter eve, on saturday, the catechumen get the baptism annointment.

From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, the strong moments of the holy week during the ceremonies of the oils, feet bathing and bread sharing.The procession slowly winds along the town’s streets, watched by the inhabitants of Braga.At Dume, a few kilometers from Braga, the inhabitants preparing at best for the priest’s arrival. Rose petals are strewn on the threshold of each home wishing to be blessed.A group of penitents, barefoot and wearing black clothes, holding torches, walking through town at night-time.


During the path of the cross on Holy Friday, figures stand out among the pilgrims. These are the Farricocos, penitents dressed in black, belonging to the Notre Dame of Mercy brotherhood. Leading the procession, they walk barefoot holding torches and shrill rattles, wearing hoods with only their eyes appearing. They co-ordinate the fourteen stops of the procession along the way of the cross. Then comes the long-awaited moment by the families, Easter Sunday, ending a long week entirely devoted to God. In this day of ressurection, it is the custom for the priests of each parish to visit the homes of the faithful. In Dume, a few kilometers from Braga, the inhabitants carefully get ready for the priest’s arrival. Rose petals are strewn on the threshold of the homes that desire a blessing. In a corner of the main hall, home-made pastry specially for this occasion, is set on a sumptusously decorated table. The priest accompanied by servers, singing with flutes and guitars, presents a crucifix to the family head so that all members of the family may kiss Christ. Then the priest walks around the four corners of the room and spreads water to bless the house and its inhabitants. After the ceremony, donations are discreetly made for the parish, and the priest can continue his visits in the village, from house to house, to satisfy their expectations. Thus coming to an end, the holy week has enabled each one to find a moment to meditate and regain spirituality, thus being assured of God’s blessing for the rest of the year, during all the crucial moments of their lives.

Text: Catherine Legras, journalist

Members of all generations, the faithful are present, singing, holding torches, representing a biblical figure or simply watching during the holy week.From Palms to Easter Sunday, strong moments of the holy week, with ceremonies of oil blessings, feet bathing and bread sharing.

In Burma, with a budhist majority, catholics and protestants represent 6% of the population, under the control of a military government since 1962.

Reporting in a small catholic mission in Burma where nuns live with twenty boy and girl orphans, in dramatic conditions. Lack of water, electricity and above all drugs. With extremely hot and humid weather, children with flu or malaria cannot heal correctly. Rainwater is recuperated in a tube system to meet bare cooking needs.

Every morning. at early dawn, prayer time for about twenty orphans in a small shed made of wooden planks.In this small orphanage, no electricity, no water. The nuns and the children survive with a bare minimum. No drugs available for these children.In the north of this country, nuns help and teach young orphans, with very little means.Hard life for those nuns and twenty children living in a small mountain village in the north of Birmany, with the bare minimum.


According to the UNICEF, 143 million children in the world are orphans, 87 millions live in Asia.

Hope, prayer and uncertainty for those birman orphans.

Christianity in Africa, both catholic and protestant, was brought over by european missionaries during the colonial period.

90% of Angola is christian, the rest maintaining animist beliefs. In the beginning of 1990, about 53% were christians (two-fourths being catholic).

After 26 years of civil war, Angola is slowly coming out of the chaos. Houses, schools, churches were destroyed. The walls riddled with bullets recall the strength and violence of the conflict.In the Huambo village, life takes over again, and a mass is improvised in the small church.

Islam is at the same time a political and social system, as well as a monotheistic religion, founded and taught by Mahomet of Arabia at the 7th century.

Photo reporting in France

Sufism is a spiritual, mystical and ascetical movement of islam, as well as an esoterical doctrine which appeared in the 8th century, having taken it’s initial roots essentially from sunnite orthodoxy. Some of its trends were rapidly transformed, to subsequently influence the chiites dissidence (ismaelites, druzes).

Several sufi brotherhoods in the muslim world.
Ahl el Haqq, Kurdistan.
Nématollahi, Koubrawiya, Sohrawardiya, Qalandariya, Bektachiya, Iran.
Qairiyya, Rifaïya, Irak.
Chadhiliyya, Algeria, Morocoo and Egypt.
Rahmaniya , Egypt.
Naqshbandiyya, Turkey.
Aissawa, Tijaniya, Morocco.
Chictiya, India.

Photo reporting during the feast of the Aïd in the small sufi community of Drancy in the Paris region.

The soufis are organized in brotherhoods founded by spiritual masters who were sometimes considered as the descendants of Mahomet by his cousin Ali and his daughter Fatima.The sufi muslims favor inward feelings, love of God, contemplation, wisdom. They form an intiatic and esoteric movement.Each sufi is connected to a “chain” representing his spiritual genealogy, which links him to the Prophet.Sufism is an esoteric and initiatic trend, the doctrine being that reality involves exterior appearance as well as a hidden interior aspect.Sufism is characterized by a spiritual search allowing access to this hidden knowledge. The importance granted to secrets has even led to the invention of secret languages.Etymologically speaking, the word sufi relates to purity, i.e. one who seeks to purify his soul from hidden vices, as well as his heart from material inclinations and attachments.The sufis consider love as the key to divine mystery : thus as opposed to rational doctrines, sufis are guided by their feelings.Inwardly searching for God by focusing on God’s love and humanity, sufis are confronted to orthodoxy which proclaims the inacessibility of God.Sufism stands out from orthodox islam in relation to other religions. For the sufi, the religions of the world relate to the same divine unity, all humans are brothers.Sufism is a spiritual path, which bestows on Islam its genuine depth. Away from abuse and dogmatic intolerance of the dominant trends. Sufism has always fought against integrism.Beyond words and thoughts, the sufis seek for the divine reality. Sufism is an interior trip to get closer to Allah, and feel his presence and love.


In Islam history, sufism very early opposed the casuistry of theologians, but nevertheless scrupulously respects the law. The sufis have worked out a timeless image of the prophet of islam. Thus, their faith made of love and individual relationship with the divine is at the origin of an intimate mystical worship of Mahomet and his message. The first sufi schools were created at the 9th century in Bassora and Bagdad with famous masters such as Junayd and his disciple Hallaj.

Sufi texts:
“Knowing yourself removes your illusory ego and you are “none other than Allah”. In other words: “Know yourself “ or “Know your being” means “know that you’re not “You” even though you ignored it”.

Sufism is a discipline, a teaching which facilitates knowing oneself, which allows the discovery of one’s true reality leading to the reality of religion.One of the fundementals of sufism is that all existing things are an expression of absolute knowledge which covers all that is not limited by time and space.

Lectures of the Coran and religious songs during a ceremony for the victims of the Tsunami.

Photo reporting in Sri Lanka.

Silence is immediate when the female imam enters the courtyard and stands before the young girls. In this government school in the Kinniya peninsula situated in the north of Sri Lanka, the traditional course on religious education was replaced by a ceremony in memory of the tsunami victims. Lectures of the Coran and religious songs mark this hour dedicated to the victims, mostly muslim in this part of the Sri Lanka coast. A painful souvenir, one has to accept, since january 10th, on the day the school started for the children of Sri Lanka, one week late according to the calendar. At the Maha Vidyalayam school, Mrs. Rasalam, head-mistress of this institution for young girls which usually has 510 pupils from 5 to 18years old, sadly says “there were 75 pupils missing on call”. She adds that some children were killed by the wave, others, still in a state of shock, are in housing camps, and many have lost their books. If some of the girls stand out from the group because they are dressed in colored saris instead of the traditional white uniform, they nevertheless feel heartened to be with their friends. “My house was totally destroyed” says Sahran, 13 years old, “I have nothing left, but my friends lend me their books and copybooks, so that I may carry on my life like before”. Give a motivation to the children.
Text: Stephanie Senet, journalist.

Several schools were destroyed by the two waves of the Tsunami. 10 days later in this school for girls, 75 children did not answer the call.170 schools in the country were partly or totally damaged, hundreds of other schools spared, shelter a million refugees.In spite of sadness, fear of another wave, those children are joyful and shy.Though in mourning, smiling faces appear in this small coranic school.Reading the Coran and religious songs during the hour dedicated to the memory of the victims, mostly muslims, in this part of the coast of Sri Lanka.


This school also temporarily welcomes pupils from the neighbouring coranic school near the coast and which has disappeared in the tsunami. The pupils were saved from the wave, on this 26th december. “If they had been playing outdoors they would have been carried away by the waves” tells the father of a pupil who thanks heaven for still having his children. For Riwath Hassan, geography professor. it is a diffiult task, “even if the school has opened its doors, it is impossible to take up teaching again. We spend our time making children feel like playing again to help them have direct contact with people and things. It’s not always easy as they have lost interest, and we must continuously motivate them.”

Text: Stephanie Semet, journalist.

In this small school in Sri Lanka, the traditional class on religious education replaced by a ceremony commemorating the victims.

Traditionally speaking, Budhism is a philosophy, a spirituality or a religion which appeared in India in the 5th century before Jesus Christ.

Photo reporting in Burma.

Traditionally speaking, budhism is a philosophy, a spiritual or a religion which appeared in the 5th centuru before J-C. Today, it gathers between 230 and 500 million followers. It branches out into a series of meditation and ethical practices, to psychological, philosophical and cosmogenic theories, with the aim of being freed from insatifaction, to fully open out human potential, in a way personally related to an intangible and ultimate spiritual reality.

Over 85% of the the Birmans are buddhist. They practise the Theravâda cult, that of the Môns, converted by indian missionaries in the 3rd century.Buddhism came to Birmany since the 3rd century before J.-C by indian merchants, but was firmly established in the country in the 5th and 6th centuries after J.-C.The birman buddhist priests mainly practise theravâda buddhism, called small vehicle.Buddhism completely moulds birman society. This buddhist monk belongs to Theravada Buddhism.Theravâda buddhism is dominant in Southern and South-Eastern Asia.Buddhism whether it is a religion, a philosophy or a practise centred on meditation, was founded by Siddharta Gautama. It was born in -556 of the julian calender in India.It was under the reign of Emperor Ashoka, that first contact was made with buddhism in Burma. Between the 3rd and 5th centuries, buddhism came to the country through different forms.


Budha, is an honorary title bestowed on every being, who, through his efforts, has attained Awakening “bodhi”.
The term “Budha” designates a man in particular, Siddharta Guatama, whose teaching has given birth to what the west calls “buddhism” and what is known in the east as Buddha Dharma “the teaching of Buddha”.

Over 85% of the birmans are buddhist. They practise the Theravâda cult, that of the Môns, converted by indian missionaries during the 3rd century.The birman buddhism includes elements from the animist cult, before the introduction of buddhism, which rests on the belief of spirits, some dead.Buddhism was imported to Birmany since the 3rd century before J-C by indian merchants, but was only firmly established in the country in the 5th and 6th centuries after J-C.

Buddha, supposedly lived at the turning of the 5th and 6th century before Jesus Christ. His life focuses around four essential episodes : birth, awakening and first predication, finally death.


Buddhism in Nepal.

The presence of budhism in Nepal goes back to the 4/5th century of our era. The Buddha, Shakyamuni, was allegedly born in Lumbini, near the indian border. Syncretism with the hindu religion is visible everywhere. The divinities are mixed. Vishnu is for buddhism a reincarnation of Buddha, and Lokeshwara, Buddha of compassion, is associated with Shiva, by the hinduists. The worshippers of both religions go to the same sacred spots and their rituals are similar..

Allegedly, Buddha was born in the village of Kapilavastu, located in Lumbini, Nepal. Buddhism is largely spread by over 70% in the Tamang, Guru and Sherpa ethnics.Since 2500 years, the monks preserve the doctrine, the sacred texts and the legends orally transmitted by the faithful, as well as by artistic representations.The doctrine of Buddha is based on the idea that suffering is inseparable from existence. Buddhism affirms that knowledge and morality allows access to a state of purity, the nirvana. Buddha left nothing in writing. His words have been orally transmitted by the faithful, and transcribed in sacred texts (sutra).Buddhism is not a religion technically speaking, but rather a philosophy and an ethic.Buddhism is at the same time a philosopy and a religion. Its roots are in India, 5 centuries before J-C. Today, the community gathers 350 to 500 followers in the world.


In Nepal, the birthland of Buddha, buddhism has never ceased to be practised, contrary to India, where it was destroyed in the 13th century. The survival of buddhism in the valley of Katmandou, can be explained by its constant facilities of adaptation, specially to the social system of hinduism.

Hinduism and Buddhism are the two religions practised and omnipresent in the Nepal countryside, where there is a god for all things.Buddhism was founded in the north of India towards 500 before J-C, when prince Siddharta Gautama became Buddha (the awakened) after being enlightened.

back to top

by Neuro-graph

© Stéphane Lehr - 17 rue de la liberté - 94300 Vincennes - France - tel: 06 62 05 70 30