Koor en de preekstoel in de Saint Patrick's Cathedral te New York before 1886

This photograph captures the choir and pulpit of Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York. The anonymous artist invites us to consider the cultural and historical weight of religious institutions. Built in the late 19th century, at a time when the city's Irish immigrant population was burgeoning, the cathedral became a potent symbol of identity and belonging. The architecture is Gothic Revival, drawing from European traditions to create a sense of timelessness and authority. Yet, the location situates it in the heart of a rapidly changing New York, a city shaped by waves of immigration and the forging of new identities. The photograph itself, with its sharp lines and contrasting tones, presents the cathedral as a space of both grandeur and intimacy. It encourages reflection on how religious spaces shape communal identity, especially for diasporic communities seeking solace and strength. It serves as a place of worship and also as a landmark of cultural assertion.