Editor
Many Catholics have been inside only a handful of parish churches other than their own. Fewer of them have visited synagogues, mosques and temples. Probably most have wondered, while driving by such sites, "What it's like in there?"
Providing the answer is a superb documentary titled "Sacred Places," airing on WMHT-TV on March 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Produced by WMHT, the one-hour special steps inside several places of worship in the region -- from a Russian Orthodox monastery in Herkimer County to the Shaker Village in Hancock, Mass. Along the way are stops at some Catholic churches, including St. John the Evangelist and St. Adalbert, both in Schenectady.
Images of beauty
Successful travelogues take viewers to places they have never been and show them why they should go there. "Sacred Places" is like that as it takes us inside buildings where Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews and Christians pray, sing hymns and otherwise glorify God.
Successful travelogues are also beautifully photographed and capture the essence of a place; this documentary is no exception. The producers and cameramen bided their time for the most perfect days to arrive so they could record lovely images of both the azure skies outside the worship sites, and the carvings, paintings and stained-glass windows within.
Shown in letterbox format, the results are striking and take on an almost 3-D quality.
Catholic places
Sites in the Albany Diocese are among the "Sacred Places" seen on the program. In addition to the churches named above, there are stops at or scenes from the Kenwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Albany, St. Joseph's Church in Troy and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.
One hour does is not enough to linger at most of the houses of worship; some are given more time than others, such as the Shaker settlement in Colonie and the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.
Less time is given to other locations; among those is the Catholic Cathedral, which gets only a fleeting and disappointing 70 seconds. I hope that WMHT will return to the Cathedral for a lengthier stay, perhaps when that church's restoration is completed. Indeed, I hope the producers will set off again to provide a sequel (or two or three) that explores other holy spots.
With its subtle use of just the right background music, with its brief and unobtrusive narration, and with its willingness to let worshipers have their say about where they pray, "Sacred Places" is a superior documentary well worth an hour of your time.