This video comes to us from Aeon Magazine (4/14/2015). We blogged about it on April 15th, but we are reposting it forward to be part of our series on “Quaker Families.”

Five was created by Daniel & Katina Mercadante, a filmmaking team located in Northern California.

What do the spiritual practices of five-year-olds across five religions tell us about the meaning and power of ritual?

Around the world, familiar routines shape our days and weeks: waking, washing, dressing, eating and, for many people, praying.

Whether Islam’s Friday prayer, Judaism’s Saturday Shabbat service, Christianity’s Sunday worship, Hinduism’s daily puja, or Buddhism’s mantras, religious rituals are marked by distinct practices and beliefs, but do they share something more fundamental? And when you’re too young to fully grasp the tenets of your religion, what significance do they hold? Observing the spiritual rituals of five children aged five around the world, Five is a brief, wordless reflection on faith, prayer and the rites that can bind us.

How can secular people benefit from prayer? Join the conversation at Aeon Ideas.

For more on rituals and religion, read Harvey Whitehouse’s ‘Human Rites’ and Matt Bieber’s ‘Learning to Fall Apart.’

Video Credits

Director: Katina Mercadante
Producer: The Mercadantes, Sonali Gosh
Editor: Daniel Mercadante
Director of Photography: Daniel Mercadante
Producer, India – Sonali Gosh
Malayalam Translator – Vijayan Peringode
Japanese Translator – Miwako Ozawa
Xhosa Translator – Blessing Gurure
Casting, Japan – Ko Iwagame
Casting, USA – Linda Varonin, Jordan Gill
Website: www.themercadantes.com

Special Thanks – Rathnam Kutty, Chitra Nandan, Nqatyiswa Ngqavu, Krishnaja Olappamanna, The Ashraf Family, The Johanix Family, The Kumar Family, The Kutty Family, The Nana Family, Kanthaloor Temple, Olappamanna Mana, The Kol Emeth Congregation, Georgina Pope, Twenty First City, Rocket Films South Africa, Milton Matiwane Church.