Press Kit
“Portraits in Faith” Press Release
Interreligious dialogue grows through personal encounter and is reflected in faces. The faces of “Portraits in Faith” will be presented as part of the Jubilee journey Open Doors, in Sala Marconi on Tuesday, October 21 at 11:00 a.m., in the presence of Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, and His Eminence Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
As part of the Jubilee journey “Open Doors,” in collaboration with the Dicastery for Communication and Emotions To Generate Change, the book and multimedia project “Portraits in Faith” will be presented on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. While being a personal expression, Portraits in Faith represents a concrete example of interreligious dialogue through art and daily life, supporting paths of encounter among religions. For this reason, it has been included in the Open Doors journey, together with other important interreligious moments.
25 Years, 500 Portraits
Portraits in Faith, following the encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” documents the role of spiritual experience in the stories of 500 people from different religions and spiritual traditions around the world, recognizing the value of differences to break down “the wall of division.” For 25 years, Daniel Epstein, a marketing executive and photographer, traveled the world between work and faith. Motivated by his own search to fill an existential void, he did not know how his journey would unfold. He felt that without developing some form of spiritual faith, he would die inside. Born and raised Jewish, difficulties in relationships, work, and life led him, at the age of 36, to pray to a God he did not yet know, not specific to his Judaism or any religion, asking for help. He created a spiritual exercise by interviewing people he met around the world during personal days added to his business trips. He asked each person about the role of faith and spiritual experiences in their life. As a non-professional photographer, he captured a moment with each person: a black-and-white portrait designed to evoke their true spirit, especially through the eyes. What emerged from this practice was that his sense of despair and lack of faith vanished. The interviews collected expected and unexpected responses, told in each person’s own words and brought to life through video and photography. The message of Portraits in Faith is that, despite all the negative narrative about faith in today’s world, it remains always and in any case a path of profound healing, necessary to cross walls and borders.
Program - October 21, 2025
The event will open with a welcome by Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, followed by an introductory greeting from His Eminence Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Photographer Daniel Epstein and curator Reverend Gina Alicea will then be introduced to present the project. The program will feature contributions from some of the subjects portrayed in the project, including Sister Bernadette Reis and Abdellah Redouane, Ph.D., Secretary General of the Islamic Cultural Center of Italy. The event will include remarks by Lia Beltrami from Emotions to Generate Change.
“Open Doors”
Open doors. The quintessential symbol of the Jubilee that the entire Church celebrates in 2025 is a door. A door that opens, the Holy Door. It marks the beginning of a special time of grace and is a symbol of Jesus himself, the way, the truth, and the life, who said “I am the door.” How can we not think, then, of multiplying open doors? Those of our hearts, to open them and thus break down the veil of indifference. Those of our homes, to be welcoming to all and allow everyone to feel “at home” with us. Those of our neighborhoods, our cities, our countries, so that no one ever feels like a “stranger.” “Open doors” means opening unexpected vistas, looking beyond the thresholds we sometimes impose on ourselves, being people who dare. It means taking seriously the words of Pope Francis who, from the beginning of his ministry, has asked the Church not only to go out, but to open the doors to allow Jesus himself to go out. It means looking with new eyes at the reality that surrounds us, recognizing its beauty and positivity, to commit ourselves personally to cultivating and safeguarding it, with passion and compassion, welcoming the stranger, protecting the environment, reaching out to those who need us. (A. Tornielli)
PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS
Date: October 21, 2025
Time: 11:00AM
Location: Sala Marconi, Piazza Pia 3, Rome, Vatican
For Information:
Dr. Eng. Patricio Caruso
patriciocaruso@gmail.com
+39 347 2610557
Emotions To Generate Change:
Lia Beltrami
lia.gbeltrami@gmail.com
+39 328 9231727
Official Hashtags: #PortraitsinFaith; #FratelliTutti; #PopeFrancis; #FaithPortraits
Background Information
Since 2001, Daniel Epstein has combined business travel with his “spiritual exercise,” a quest to interview people about the role of faith in their lives. As an amateur photographer, Daniel also captures black-and-white portraits of the interviewees to mirror their “true spirit.” From these interviews, photographs, and Daniel’s reflections arose the Portraits in Faith collection—an archive of spiritual testimonies that transcend religious and global boundaries. In 2022, curator and Reverend Gina Alicea created an exhibition out of the Portraits in Faith content which has now gone to two museums: The University of Chicago Corvus Gallery and the Muhammad Ali Center Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.
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DANIEL K. EPSTEIN earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a B.A. in Business Administration/Accounting from Georgia State University. An entrepreneur, consultant, author, and photographer, Daniel created Portraits in Faith, an exploration of beliefs held by over 500 individuals in 30 countries. He also created the Portraits in Faith Foundation, LLC, as a nonprofit to promote the idea that there is no “other.” The nonprofit supports programs such as “sacred listening” in schools, prisons, and other communities of concerned citizens.
GINA ALICEA is a licensed spiritual practitioner through the Centers for Spiritual Living, and a minister, Gina obtained an MFA from Northern Illinois University, an M.Ed. from DePaul University, and an Interfaith Ministry degree from Emerson Theological Institute. Also an artist, and educator, Gina is the director of the Corvus Gallery on campus at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Gina created the Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other exhibition in 2022 and serves as curator for future exhibitions around the world.
Previous Exhibitions
The exhibition has been shown previously at:
- The Muhammad Ali Centre, Ina B. Bond Gallery
- The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Corvus Gallery
Previous Press Coverage
Vatican News:
Religion News Service:
Cross Current Journal:
Other Portraits in Faith press releases and new articles are available in the news section.
Testimonials
I was—we were (as several folks in the office crowded round) — completely blown away. By its power and dignity, its implicit compassion and yet unblinking eye. What a wonderful project and I only wish I hadn't been on the road for the last three-and-a-half months because I would have been able to see this amazing project sooner.
Portraits in Faith is one man’s journey to follow his own innate wonder, camera in hand. He is honest about his own limitations and biases, earnest with his questions, and willing to let each encounter transform him.
It is so meaningful to see the sacred process of ‘Order-Disorder- Reorder’ come to life in the human journey across religions and spiritual followings as brought to life in the Portraits in Faith project. I was honored to be included in this wonderful exploration and honoring of the Divine Spirit in all of humanity.
Few things inspire as much passion, sacrifice, and hope as does faith. No matter how far the reach into scientific discovery and technology, our souls yearn for the Divine by design. Portraits in Faith is a celebration of this yearning—a window into its beauty—in both doubt and certainty. It is a book about what makes us human, and what connects us to God and to one another.
VISUAL BRAND ASSETS
IMAGERY: WORLD MAP
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IMAGERY: THE PORTRAITS
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IMAGERY: THE BOOK
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IMAGERY: THE EXHIBIT
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INQUIRIES
If you have a media inquiry, press request, or you require more information, please get in touch with us at info@portraitsinfaith.org or use the form below.