Muslims gather for prayers at the Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), Ahmedabad, Gujarat State, India

Commune group brought to bow to Great Leader on Grand Monument, Pyongyang, North Korea, Asia

Cao Dai Temple, Tay Ninh, north of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), South Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Asia

Statues of former Presidents Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong Il, Pyongyang, North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), Asia

Bedouin praying in the Sahara, Douz, Kebili, Tunisia, North Africa, Africa

Bedouin praying in the Sahara, Douz, Kebili, Tunisia, North Africa, Africa

Cao Dai temple, Tay Ninh, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Cao Dai temple, Tay Ninh, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Worshippers at Sule Pagoda (Sule Paya), Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Cao Dai Temple, Tay Ninh, north of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), South Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Tham Ting spiritual caverns from the Pak Ou caves site, on the Mekong river, with many Buddha sculptures, north of Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Statue of Confucius and his students at West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, Asia

Yoido Full Gospel Church, the largest mega church in the world, South Korea, Asia

Vespers at Abu Gosh Benedictine Monastery, Israel, Middle East

Procession outside Lome cathedral, Lome, Togo, West Africa, Africa

Al Akbar Surabaya National Mosque, Muslim men praying together at Friday prayer, Surabaya, Java, Indonesia

Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican, Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe

Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims prostrating in front of the Jokhang temple, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Pilgrims prostrating outside the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Students bowing to teacher in class, elementary school, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Worshipper burning incense at the Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai, China

Man bowing to Mecca to pray while holding the reins of his camels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The old traditional camels contrast with the new modern building construction and cranes.

Bowing down, Litany of the Saints, Episcopal ordination, Amiens Cathedral, Somme, France, Europe

Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha (Alabaster Mosque), The Citadel, Cairo, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Shinto priest blessing a group of Sanja Festival participants in a religious ceremony in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Christian men at prayer during Mass in the church at Woolisso, Gourague country, Shoa province, Ethiopia, Africa

Priests leaning forward during Catholic Mass, Paris, France, Europe

Pilgrim praying at altar with miniature orange toriis in background, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, Kyoto, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Bowing down, Litany of the Saints, Episcopal ordination, Amiens Cathedral, Somme, France, Europe

Prayers at the Lyon Great Mosque, Lyon, Rhone, France, Europe

Prosternation at Koutloumoussiou monastery on Mount Athos, Greece, Europe

Muslim prayer, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims prostrating at the Jokhang temple, Barkhor, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Ceremonial Changing of the Guard at Sungnyemun Gate (South Gate), Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Hawthorns bent over by the prevailing wind on Humphrey Head Point above Morecambe Bay near Grange over Sands, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Hawthorns bent over by the prevailing wind on Humphrey Head Point above Morecambe Bay near Grange over Sands, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

pilgrim bathing in the sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

pilgrim bathing in the sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

pilgrims and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

pilgrim bathing in the sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Pilgrims praying, golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Interior of golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Woman Wearing Kimono Bowing

Wall mosaic, Archbishop Makarios, novice, Kykko Monastery, Cyprus

Devotion of a monk while to begging for alms, Binhabad, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Asia

Every Friday dervishes gather an hour before sunset in front of Sheikh Hamed al-Nil tomb in Omdurman, Sudan to perform a ritual called Zikr (Dhikr). The ceremony starts chanting words of gratitude to the Prophet Mohammed. The audience interacts with the chanters, dancing to the rhythms of the percussion instruments. The dervishes start whirling around. The music, the fragrance of burning incense, the endless repetition of religious chants creates a state of ecstasy, a kind of trance in which human soul is believed to communicate directly with God.

A mature woman praying, after doing some personal Bible study, in a coffee shop : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

A traditional Tibetan debate in Sera Buddhist Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China

A traditional Tibetan debate in Sera Buddhist Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China

Female and male Japanese Kendo fighters standing opposite each other on wooden floor, bowing and greeting, Kyushu, Japan