Pilgrim at doors of St. Mary of Zion new church, built by Haile Selassie in the 1960s, Axum, Ethiopia, Africa

Pilgrims in front of Beth Medhane Alem monolithic church, Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa

Huge crowds for holy Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Jain pilgrims with traditional masks at The Ranakpur Jain Temple at Desuri Tehsil in Pali District, Rajasthan, India

Roman Catholic cathedral, Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, cityscape from Alameda Park, Galicia, Northern Spain

Pilgrims spin prayer wheels outside a monastery in the Bharkor, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Sikh pilgrim bathing in the pool of the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib temple, Delhi, India, Asia

Pilgrim sits in early morning sun reading his Holy Bible at entrance doors to Bet Maryam church (St. Mary's), believed to be the oldest rock hewn church in Lalibela, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa

Cross and pilgrim on Apparition Hill, with town beyond, Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina, Europe

Pilgrim from Poland, World Youth Day, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

Brazilian pilgrims at the Jordan River, Yardenit, Israel, Middle East

Mountain village in valley Santa Marina de Valdeon in Picos de Europa, Northern Spain

Pilgrim walking on the Way of St. James, Christian pilgrimage route towards Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela), Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe

Pilgrims, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, Europe

Nuns in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Old Walled City, Jerusalem, Israel

Three women pilgrims in saris making Puja celebration in the Pichola Lake at sunset, Udaipur, Rajasthan state, India, Asia

Two Sikh pilgrims bathing and praying in the early morning in holy pool, Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab state, India, Asia

Pilgrim reading religious book on church steps, Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa

Indian Hindu pilgrims queue to visit the Golden Temple during Festival of Shivaratri in holy city of Varanasi, Northern India

A native woman saying prayers and using a prayer wheel at Tashichho Dzong in Thimpu

Pilgrims praying in the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Catholic pilgrims worshipping at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Pilgrims at the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, who was assassinated in 661, Mazar-I-Sharif, Balkh province, Afghanistan, Asia

Priests in black holding olive wood crosses in procession to the River Jordan during Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

Pilgrims on road to temple, Tamil Nadu state, India, Asia

Young pilgrim reading the Bible, World Youth Day, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

Pilgrims in the Holy Land walking in the Golan Heights, Galilee, Israel, Middle East

Hindu pilgrim with turban at Dashashwamedh Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, Benares, India

Facade do Obradoiro of the Baroque style Roman Catholic cathedral, Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain

Street boy who sells necklaces for living and ladies in burquas, Shrine of Hazrat Ali, Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan, Asia

Basilica di San Francesco, where the body of St. Francis was placed in 1230, Assisi, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Umbria, Italy, Europe

Two pilgrims in white dress making Puja celebration in the Pichola Lake at sunset, Udaipur, Rajasthan state, India, Asia

Pilgrims at the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, who was assassinated in 661, Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan, Asia

Russian pilgrims entering the water after Mass and filling water bottles with river water, Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, River Jordan, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

People walking on their knees, Fatima pilgrimage sanctuary, Ribatejo, Portugal, Europe

Pilgrims during the celebrations for the Orthodox Christmas in Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa

Pilgrim from Germany, World Youth Day, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

Pilgrim lighting candles in the Holy Sepulchre Church, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Pilgrim doing the Kora around the holy mountain Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, China, Asia

Hindu pilgrim from Jharkand wearing the trident-shaped mark worn by the devotees of Vishnu, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, Asia

Christian pilgrims, Easter festival, Sainte Marie de Sion (St. Mary of Zion), Axoum (Axum) (Aksum), Tigre region, Ethiopia, Africa

Balanced rock covered in gold leaf, major Buddhist stupa and pilgrim site, Kyaiktiyo, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Pilgrims at religious festival, Buddhist festival (Tsechu), Trashi Chhoe Dzong, Thimphu, Bhutan, Asia

Atonement path, Basilica of Fatima, Fatima, Estremadura, Portugal, Europe

Pilgrim during the celebrations for the Orthodox Christmas in Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa

Pilgrim from U.S.A., World Youth Day, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

Buddhist monk passes prayer flags at Mulagandhakuti Vihara Temple at Sarnath near Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Pilgrim walking on the Way of St. James, Christian pilgrimage route towards Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela), Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe

Pilgrim walking on the Way of St. James, Christian pilgrimage route towards Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela), Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe

Crowds of pilgrims gather outside Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa State, India, Asia

Pilgrim's hand caressing the stone at Station VI on the Via Dolorosa during Good Friday Catholic procession, Old City, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Female pilgrim holding a cross with procession to the Jordan River in background during Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

Priests in black holding olive wood crosses in procession to the River Jordan during Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

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

Pilgrim wearing traditional hat and white clothes standing on a bridge and praying, near Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, Kyoto, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Gathering at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire's basilica in the city of Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrenees, France, Europe

Pilgrim reading outside a Lalibela church, Lalibela, Wollo, Ethiopia, Africa

Old man sits, prays and hopes for donations on the Buddhist Lingkhor circuit, a traditional pilgrimage around the holy sites of the city, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Groups of pilgrims in small boats on their way to a religious ceremony on the River Ganges, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Crowds of pilgrims in white dress queueing to enter the water of the Jordan River during Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

Disabled woman receiving Holy Communion, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Pilgrims, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, Europe

Balanced rock covered in gold leaf, major Buddhist stupa and pilgrim site, Kyaiktiyo, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Pilgrim makes clockwise circumambulations of the stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple), Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Candles at Lourdes, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France,. Europe

Huge crowds for holy Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Monk, Ladakh, India, Asia

Pilgrim touching the Lourdes grotto, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Pilgrims touching a stone in the shrine on Besh Barmaq mountain, Siyazan, Azerbaijan, Central Asia, Asia

Pilgrims in monastery courtyard,. Sakya, Tibet, China, Asia

Zen pilgrim statue by Torao Yazaki, Vincennes, Val-de-Marne, France, Europe

Pilgrim's baptism in the Jordan River, Yardenit, Israel, Middle East

Pilgrims outside Bieta Ghiorghis (St. George's House) church in Lalibela on a Sunday, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lalibela, Wollo, Ethiopia, Africa

Pilgrims seated in front of the 39 ft high standing Buddha, Aukana, Sri Lanka, Asia

Pilgrim's baptism in the Jordan River, Yardenit, Israel, Middle East

Interior Blue Mosque open for tourists and pilgrim built by Sultan Ahmet I in 1609, designed by architect Mehmet Aga, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Lourdes holy water, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Indian pilgrim in Jordan River, Yardenit, Israel, Middle East

Pilgrims at Dominus Flevit, Jerusalem. Israel, Middle East

Disabled woman in the Lourdes basilica, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Praying woman, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Pilgrimage at Notre Dame de la Roche, Notre-Dame de la Gorge, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Young pilgrims outside Notre Dame cathedral during Pope Benedict XVI 's visit to France, Paris, France, Europe

Guru and worshippers at Scindia Ghat, Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Men and women washing in the River Ganges at Scindia Ghat, Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Buddhist monks prostrating at maha bodhi temple complex in bodhgaya. Prostration is a gesture used in buddhist practice to show reverence to the triple gem (comprising the buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Buddhist pilgrims circumambulate the mayadevi temple and the pond in front of it. Lumbini, nepal

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

A brass plate full of offerings to God. Coconut, dried fish, black soya beans, duck eggs, oiled wicks, colour powder, bitten rice, betel nut, hand made rice paper incense, unhusked rice and flowers. Brahmayani Temple, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Monk prostrating in front of maha bodhi temple. Bodhgaya prostration is a gesture used in buddhist practice to show reverence to the triple gem (comprising the buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Buddhist monk make prostration as he circumambulate the mayadevi temple in lumbini. Nepal

St john's Cross in the grounds of Iona Abbey, Iona, off mull, Scotland, UK, with St Oran's Cross in the background

A view of Swayambhu Stupa with full moon marks the 2554 years of Lord Gautam Buddha's birth. Nepalese and Tibetan pilgrims lit lamp at the Stupa with the hopes of peace in country. Despite of the on going political turmoil about non-formation of Constitution, Buddha Jayanti (Buddha's birthday) was celebrated throughout the nation in peace. Kathmandu, Nepal. 2010-May-27

Monastery, ethiopia. Debre damo monastery. Tigray. Pilgrims gathered underneath cliff

Butter lamp offerings to the Bagmati River flowing next to Brahmayani Temple. Newar Village Women wears "Haku Patasi" to the Temple. (Haku Patasi is garb worn by Newari woman). Bhaktapur, Nepal

Ethiopia the maryam feast, feast of mary, at axum. The patriarch and archbishops assembled beneath the stela of king ezana

Mongolia mongolian pilgrims at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Buddhist pilgrims circumambulate the mayadevi temple and the pond in front of it. Lumbini, nepal

Pilgrim at the public bath in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked