Abu Al-Fadhil-al-Abbas mosque, Kerbala, Iraq, Middle East

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

One of Eighteen Arhats of Mahayana Buddhism await return of Buddha as Maitreya, Long Quang Pagoda, An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Monk, follower of Mahima Dharma sect, wearing orange loincloth carrying brass pots of water into the temple at sunset, Joranda, Orissa, India, Asia

Pope Francis during his weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Thien Truc Buddhist pagoda, Life of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), preaching first sermon to monks in Deer Park in Varanasi, Bac Lieu, Vietnam

Semana Santa Holy Week in Cadiz, Spain

Semana Santa Holy Week in Seville, Spain

Good Friday procession, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Trulshig rinpoche, blesses. Tulshig rinpoche blesses. Tulshig rimpoche s followers believe that he, like many other lamas, reassumes a human body after death in order to return to disciples. previous incarnation of tulshig rimpoche spent several years at dzarongpu monastery (highest monastery in world located at 16,500’ within sight of northern side of mt everest) served as of ngawong tenzin teachers. He promised to return in next life, so at tulshig s death ngawong tenzin norbu sought found reincarnation. current tulshig rimpoche then came to monastery studied with ngawong tenzin norbu. relationship between teacher student, in which a teacher returns to study from former student, maintains lineage over generations. Bhutan

Forehead designs, called tilakas, show a sadhus religious sectarian affiliations range from a simple daub of color to complex designs involving entire face. Vertical design of this sadhus tilaka shows to be a vaishnava, or follower of vishnu, preserver of universe. He is a benevolent gentle. gentility is reflected in worshippers devotess. application of a tilaka is usually done at start of each after bathing as a to sanctify body prepare it to receive divine. India

Praying, statue of A. C. Bhakivedanta Swami Prabhupada the founder of hare Krishna movement, in ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Praying, ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Group of women praying, in ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Praying, ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Believers speaking, in ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Group of women praying, in ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Praying, ISKCON temple, Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir,Vrindavan,Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Followers of the Christian sect of Fifohazana, sunday mass, Soatanana village, Madagascar

Followers of the Christian sect of Fifohazana, sunday mass, Soatanana village, Madagascar

Followers of the Christian sect of Fifohazana, sunday mass, Soatanana village, Madagascar

Followers of the Christian sect of Fifohazana, sunday mass, Soatanana village, Madagascar

Prayers and offering from religious followers, Azure Clouds Temple, Mount Tai, Tai Shan, Shandong province, World Heritage, UNESCO, China

Yamabushi follower, mountain ascetics, Buddhist sect, priest invoking the deity at the fire, Iwakura, Japan, East Asia, Asia

Mass event at Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple, followers holding pictures with Buddha images, Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani, Bangkok, Thailand, Asia *** IMPORTANT: Image must not be used in a negative context with the Dhammakaya temple ***

Yamabushi followers, mountain ascetics, Buddhist sect, pushing cedar branches off the fire with bamboo poles, Iwakura, Japan, East Asia, 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.

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.

Mayan indian religous men at Easter Procession in Antigua.

Interior Fresco, St George Church Mirauti, 1375; Suceava, Suceava County, Romania

Interior fresco, Church of the Holy Cross, 1487; Patrauti, Suceava County, Romania

Fresco, Holy Dormition Cathedral, The Holy Trinity Saint Serguis Lavra, Sergiev Posad, Sergiyevo-Posadsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia

Jesus Rides On A Colt

Young Disabled Woman Sitting Beside Her Wheelchair In A City Park In Autumn, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Jesus With A Close Group Of People

Statues Of Jesus Christ On The Cross And Followers At The Foot Of The Cross, County Kerry, Ireland

Cross With Paintings Depicting The Life Of Jesus At Khor Virap Monastery, Ararat Province, Armenia

Fresco, Gate Church of the Resurrection (1670), Kremlin, Golden Ring; Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Gate-Church of the Resurrection (1670), Kremlin, Golden Ring; Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Holy Formation Cathedral, Trinity Sergius Lavra Monastery complex; Sergiev Posad, Moscow Oblast, Russia

Church of Elijah the Prophet, with ornate arched doorways and colourful frescoes; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, The Resurrection Church on the Debra; Kostroma, Kostroma Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Gate Church of the Resurrection (1670), Kremlin, Golden Ring; Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco in the Church of St John the Baptist; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco in the Church of St John the Baptist; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Church of Elijah the Prophet, with colourful frescoes on the walls depicting Biblical scenes; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, The Resurrection Church on the Debra; Kostroma, Kostroma Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church, Kremlin, Golden Ring; Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Transfiguration Cathedral, Monastery of St Euthymius; Suzdal, Vladimir Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Holy Trinity Cathedral, founded in 1902; Sibiu, Transylvania Region, Romania

Frescoes, New St George Church, 1705, Old Town Bucharest; Bucharest, Romania

Interior Fresco, St George Church Mirauti, 1375; Suceava, Suceava County, Romania

Crowd Gathers Around Jesus

Fresco in the Church of St John the Baptist; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco in the Church of St John the Baptist; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Interior Fresco, St George Church Mirauti, 1375; Suceava, Suceava County, Romania

Interior fresco, Church of the Holy Cross, 1487; Patrauti, Suceava County, Romania

Church of Elijah the Prophet, with colourful frescoes on the walls depicting Biblical scenes; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Interior Fresco, St George Church Mirauti, 1375; Suceava, Suceava County, Romania

Church of Elijah the Prophet, with colourful frescoes on the walls depicting Biblical scenes; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Holy Formation Cathedral, Trinity Sergius Lavra Monastery complex; Sergiev Posad, Moscow Oblast, Russia

Fresco, Troitse-Sergiyev Varnitskiy Monastery, near Rostov Veliky, Golden Ring; Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Interior Fresco, Cathedral of the Nativity (1222), Kremlin; Suzdal, Vladimir Oblast, Russia

Church of Elijah the Prophet, with ornate arched doorway and colourful frescoes; Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Evening procession carrying Shiva to bedroom of Meenakshi, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Evening procession carrying Shiva to bedroom of Meenakshi, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Brahmin blessing a baby, held in his mothers arms, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India,