"I see young people who are exhausted by the performance of their online lives," he says. "They come in not always because they are devout Catholics, but because they need a place where they do not have to curate a version of themselves. They need to speak a truth that no algorithm will judge."
"The digital version of confession is devoid of shame, but it is also devoid of resolution," says Ricci. "Online, you confess to garner sympathy or shock. In il confessionale , you confess to be unburdened. The goal is not to hold onto the sin as an identity, but to let it go." il confessionale
It captures a moment of high moral tension. A young woman kneels in a dark confessional, her face showing vulnerability and guilt, while the priest leans in with a mix of empathy and institutional authority. "I see young people who are exhausted by