I appreciate an unlocked church. I like the silence and the way everything is still, as if waiting for something important to happen. I like seeing the simple things, like the stack of church newsletters on a table in the foyer or the place where the collection baskets are stored when they’re not needed. I like the statues and the saints, and the statues of saints. I like the lighting and the shadows. I like knowing that the place represents local traditions and beliefs, even when I don’t quite know what those may be.

And I mostly appreciate the trust of someone who decided to leave the church open, in case someone needed to be in it that day.

Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
San Elizario, Texas
photographed 12.15.2025