Rome: Awaiting the Conclave

Written By Justin Merriman
 A man holds a rosary in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Saturday.
 The chimney which will signal to the world the election of a new pope is installed on the top of the Sistine Chapel on Saturday afternoon in Vatican City.  The College of Cardinals will gather on Tuesday for the start of the conclave, the secret papal election.
 A cardinal leaves the Vatican after Saturday morning's General Congregations, where the College of Cardinals met in preparation for the conclave that will begin on March 12th to choose the 266th pope.
 People stand in St. Peter's Square on Saturday shortly after the chimney which will signal to the world the election of a new pope was installed on the top of the Sistine Chapel.  As the chimney was raised, applause and cheers filled the square as many gathered, anxiously awaiting Tuesday's conclave.
 Cardinals leave the Vatican after Saturday morning's General Congregations.
Tourists walk through the colonnades of St. Peter's Square.
Justin Merriman

Justin Merriman is a freelance photojournalist, commercial photographer, licensed drone pilot, and filmmaker based in Pittsburgh. His career began in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he worked as a newspaper photographer dedicated to community storytelling and politics. Since then, his work has been recognized with regional, national, and international awards and has appeared in publications around the world.

After covering the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001, Merriman committed to documenting the U.S. military’s War on Terror, reporting from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the United States. His international assignments have also included life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba, India’s campaign to eradicate polio, the aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution, Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, and the uncertain future of Guantanamo Bay in 2015. That same year, he traveled the full U.S.–Mexico border to document immigration issues.

In addition to photography, Merriman works as a director and filmmaker, creating recent films on refugees in Turkey, Jordan, India, and South Africa.

Closer to home, he frequently covers stories across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, focusing on the intersections of economic, environmental, and political life. Most recently, he reported on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and its impact on the community.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg with a B.A. in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. He is a founding member of Argo Collective, a group of photographers sharing diverse visions of America. He lives outside Pittsburgh with his wife, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource.

http://www.justinmerriman.com
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