Rome: Conclave Nears

Written By Justin Merriman
 A nun stands in prayer in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Tuesday as Cardinals hold a pre-conclave mass inside as they prepare to vote to choose Pope Benedict XVI’s successor. 
 Cardinals enter St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Tuesday for their pre-conclave mass prior to voting to choose Pope Benedict XVI’s successor. 
 Guards stand watch at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
 A cardinal enters St. Peter's Basilica.
 A guard stands watch in one of the entrances to St. Peter's Basilica.
 A nun stands in prayer in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on Tuesday as the College of Cardinals hold a pre-conclave mass inside the basilica as they prepare to vote to choose Pope Benedict XVI’s successor.  Pilgrims gathered outside to watch the mass on several big screens.
 A nun holds rosary beads as she stands in prayer in St. Peter's Square.
 A man stands in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on Tuesday as rain begins to fall on pilgrims and tourists who gathered in the square on the first day of the conclave.
 A couple holds each other in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
 A pilgrims kneels in the rain in St. Peter's Square as the College of Cardinal's hold mass at St. Peter's Basilica.
 A woman prays in St. Peter's Square.
Tourists and pilgrims stand in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on Tuesday as rain begins to fall on the first day of the conclave, where the College of Cardinals will vote for the first time to choose Pope Benedict XVI’s successor.  Read more about the conclave in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
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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