Photographing the Solemn Vespers and Installation of Bishop James A. Misko in Tucson

This past weekend I had the honor of photographing two events I don’t get to say “yes” to very often: the Solemn Vespers and the Ordination and Installation Mass for the Diocese of Tucson’s 8th bishop, The Most Reverend James A. Misko.

Huge thank you to the Diocese of Tucson for trusting me to help document something this historic. Events like this are rare, and you can feel it in the room. Bishop Misko was ordained and installed on February 20, 2026 at Saint Augustine Cathedral in downtown Tucson, on the first Friday of Lent. Nearly 1,500 people filled the cathedral, and thousands more watched on the livestream. The diocese has been here since 1897, and this was the first episcopal ordination in the diocese in 73 years. That kind of moment doesn’t come around often.

Why this weekend mattered

The scale of the celebration was incredible. There were 22 bishops present, along with His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America. Archbishop John Wester from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe presided at the Mass. The co-ordaining bishops were Most Reverend Joe Vásquez, the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, and Most Reverend Daniel E. Garcia, the Bishop of Austin.

If you’ve never been in a cathedral during an installation Mass like this, it’s hard to explain the mix of reverence and joy. There is a lot of tradition and a lot of emotion happening at the same time. You have the formal liturgy and the historic milestones, and right alongside that you have real people reacting in real time.

The low light challenge inside Saint Augustine Cathedral

From a photographer’s perspective, Saint Augustine Cathedral is beautiful and also a serious low light environment. During parts of the liturgy, the light is minimal and the pace does not slow down for cameras.

Luckily, my background photographing local sports has trained me for exactly this kind of pressure. Fast moments, unpredictable movement, and lighting that is never quite where you want it. That experience helped me stay calm and consistent, and it let me focus on what matters most: telling the story of the day without being a distraction.

Photographing the history and the candid moments

For an event like this, I’m always thinking in two lanes.

First, the historical record. The moments that have to be captured clearly and respectfully because they will matter for decades. The ordination and installation itself. The procession. The key participants. The scale of the crowd. The setting. The details that place the event in time.

Second, the human story. That’s where the images start to feel alive.

I was watching for the quiet interactions between fellow priests and bishops, and the reactions from friends and family. The small moments before and after the big ones. The expressions that show what the day meant to the people who were there.

Bishop Misko’s remarks included a story about his mother, Geraldine, teaching him how to pray by stopping into church for a quick visit on an ordinary day. That kind of personal detail is exactly what I’m trying to reflect in the photos too. Not just what happened, but what it felt like.

What I deliver for rare Catholic Church events like this

I’m sharing about 50 of my favorite images from the Solemn Vespers and the Installation Mass. My goal with a gallery like this is to give you a complete narrative.

• The wide shots that show the scale and setting
• The key ceremonial moments that document the milestone
• The candid images that show relationships and emotion
• The details that make the day specific to this place and this community

Ordinations and installations are some of the rarest assignments in Catholic Church life. They are also some of the most important to document well. The day moves fast. The lighting is tough. The moments are once in a lifetime for a diocese.

If you are part of a Catholic diocese anywhere in the United States and you are planning an episcopal ordination, installation, Solemn Vespers, or another major liturgical celebration, I’d love to help. I’m comfortable working in cathedrals and low light, and I’m focused on capturing both the historical record and the candid moments that show the heart of the day.

Reach out and tell me what you’re planning, where it’s happening, and what matters most to your community. I’m happy to talk through timing, access, and a coverage plan so these moments are preserved the right way.