Juxtaposition

On this Easter weekend, the internet is full of photos of religious activities and events. This is my favorite so far. Unfortunately I found it on Pixdaus, which stores photos without credit to the original photographer or host. I couldn't find the source even with a TinEye search.

My own affiliation is Lutheran, so I have to guess a bit as to the backstory on this photo; I would certainly appreciate corrections/additions in the Comments section.

The setting appears to be a Greek Orthodox church; the young woman's attire suggests eastern Europe or Russia. The greenery has been brought in to the sanctuary for a ceremony. One young tree has been tied upright near the steps; it looks "spring-like" rather than autumnal, so I think this is a vernal rather than a harvest celebration. There is a stack of branches nearby, reminiscent of the palm branches used for a Palm Sunday processional.

The photographic technique is superb in terms of composition and exposure, capturing the beams of light, but what I love about the photo is the juxtaposition of the natural elements with the religious iconography. The young woman is expressing her devotion toward the icons or a Bible; she is not worshipping the greenery per se. But the juxtaposition serves as a reminder that many or most religions ultimately derive from an awe toward and respect for the natural world. In temperate climates the arrival of spring and the return of fertility to the land were evidence of resurrection for millennia before the earliest organized religion. Bringing nature back into the sanctuary is a way of reminding ourselves of our relationship with the natural world.

(Click the photo to enlarge to fullscreen; it's beautiful.)