Young Masai recently cirumsised wears white make-up markings and black robes until in a few weeks he adopts the full red colourful robes of a Masai Warrior

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

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

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

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

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

Buddhist sand Mandala, a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the Universe, Paris, France, Europe

Hindu pilgrims queue to visit Vishwanatha Temple (Birla Temple) during Festival of Shivaratri in holy city of Varanasi, India

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

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

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

Tibetans dressed for religious shaman's ceremony, Tongren, Qinghai Province, China, Asia

Ritual washing in the Tirta Empul temple, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Wodaabe-Bororo men with faces painted at the annual Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Voodoo ritual with a tourist, Akodessewa fetish market, Lome, Togo, West Africa, Africa

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

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

Confraternity of penitents gathering outside San Leonardo church, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Man jumping from a bamboo tower, Pentecost land diving, Pentecost, Vanuatu, Pacific

Candomble priest performing a ritual during Lemanja festival in Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America

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

Hola Mohalla, martial arts during the Sikh new year, in Bobigny, France, Europe

Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Chaotic scene at sea, as the Virgen del Carmen from Tarifa is taken on an annual ritual voyage with small boats in attendance, Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Villagers gather for a funeral in the desert in Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta)

Young recently circumcised Masai Warrior (moran) with traditional face paint after 'coming of age' in the Serengei Plains, Tanzania

Tribal gathering Sing Sing at Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea, South Pacific

Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Mau Son Taoist temple, woman at Taoist ceremony, ritual of offerings, Sapa, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

A line of women at a ceremony for the ordination of Buddhist monks, Bagan (Pagan), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Changing of the guard at Palacio Real (Royal Palace), Centro, Madrid, Spain, Europe

Changing of the guards ceremony, Martyrs Shrine, Taipei City, Taiwan, Asia

Men carrying a palaquin with the portrait of one of India's most celebrated 18th century female rulers, Ahilya Bai Holkar, during a Hindu ceremony, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Priest blessing ice picks and ropes, Saint-Gervais traditional mountain guides festival, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Tibetans dressed for religious shaman's ceremony, Tongren, Qinghai Province, China, Asia

Face painting with a mixture of clay, oils and plant pigments, Hamer Jumping of the Bulls initiation ceremony, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Young girls at the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Close-up of priests' hands taking the host during Mass in Easter week celebrated by Monseigneur Fouad Boutros Tawal, Coadjutor of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Old City, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Cremation at funeral ceremony, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Musicians at cremation ceremony, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Iban woman weaving pua kumbu, in complex traditional patterns and reated to old head-hunting rituals, Katibas River, Sarawak, Malaysia, island of Borneo, Southeast Asia, Asia

Republican Guard, Parliament, Syntagma, Athens, Greece, Europe

Young girls selling food, Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Colourful dressed girl at the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Koshti, traditional ritual training course for warriors in the Yazd Zourkhaneh, gymnasium or House of Strength, Yazd, Iran, Middle East

Jewelled Kris (ceremonial dagger) originated from Java, used in Balinese rituals, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Hawan (offering to fire god) at Karbi Anglong District Brahma Dharma Jyoti Mondir, Langhin Manikpur, Assam, India, Asia

Hawan (offering to fire god) at Karbi Anglong District Brahma Dharma Jyoti Mondir, Langhin Manikpur, Assam, India, Asia

Republican Guard, Parliament, Syntagma, Athens, Greece, Europe

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

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Woman pouring water over flowers on an altar as a religious ritual, Kedar Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Saint-Gervais traditional mountain guides festival, alphorn players, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Child musicians at Odalan ceremony, temple of Bataun, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ritual washing in the Tirta Empul temple, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sikh temple ritual, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East

Sikh priest and holy book at Sikh wedding, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Grave at cemetery graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Guardians of the volcano, Merapi, Yogyakarta region, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Batara Turum Kabeh ceremony, Hindu temple of Besakih, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Stall selling coloured powder for rituals at entrance to Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Koshti, traditional ritual training course for warriors in the Yazd Zourkhaneh, gymnasium or House of Strength, Yazd, Iran, Middle East

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Guardians of the volcano, Merapi, Yogyakarta region, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Changing of the guard, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, Scandinavia, Europe

Candomble priestess performing a ritual during Lemanja festival in Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America

The biggest Nat ritual, Festival of Spirits, Taungbyon, Mandalay Division, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

The Sanctuary, ancient ritual site from about 2500BC, Avebury, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Tibetan, coming of age ritual, Qinghai, China, Asia

Ceremony for archery festival, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Diwali Puja, Jalaram Prathna Hindu temple, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Novice monk ceremony, Wat Xieng Jai, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Novice monk ceremony, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ceremony at Hindu Temple, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Diwali Puja, Jalaram Prathna Hindu temple, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sikh temple ritual, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East

Ceremony at Hindu Temple, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Mau Son Taoist temple, woman at Taoist ceremony, ritual of offerings, Sapa, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Painted stone used in shamanist rituals, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Jews buying Sukhot ritual items, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Boy about to become a monk, Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar, Asia

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

Woman participating in voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

O-mikuji, fortune telling papers, Sapporo Shrine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, Asia

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes, founded in Konya by Mevalana Celaleddin Rumi, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Kava ceremony outside, Daloma village, Yasawa Island, Fiji, Pacific

Man in trance during voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

Woman participating in voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

Makuna-colombian shamans,

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

Humla, shamans. shamans central to ceremonial life, with their spirit possession high point of every collective ritual. Their white wool tufted turnans match description of zhangzhung’s priests

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

Makuna-colombian shamans,

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal