Rites Around the World

Young Hindu priests take a holy bath together as part of a ritual during the Janai Purnima festival (Sacred Thread Festival) at the
premises of Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu August 10, 2014.

Participants react as they hold on to a greased pole during the "Panjat Pinang" event organised in celebration of Indonesia's 69th
Independence Day at Ancol Dreamland Park in Jakarta August 17, 2014.

An Indonesian is silhouetted against the sun as they participate in a palm tree climbing competition to reach prizes on top of the logs
during the palm tree climbing race to mark the 69th anniversary of Indonesia's independence day in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 17, 2014.

Festivalgoers, carrying portable shrine, are splashed with water during a summer festival of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine
in downtown Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014.

Participants struggle to reach the prizes during a greased-pole climbing competition held as a part of the Independence Day
celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014.

Orthodox nuns hold candles and flowers as they take part in a procession to bring an icon of Virgin Mary to the tomb where it is believed she is buried, through Jerusalem's Old City, Israel, August 25, 2014. Every year before the Feast of the Assumption, the icon is brought from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to the tomb of the Virgin Mary to honor her Assumption.

A close-up of a shaven-headed Nepalese man after receiving rice and a leaf as a blessing from a priest during Father's Day at Gokarneswor Shrine, near Kathmandu, Nepal, August 25, 2014.

Local people watch as a man beats a traditional drum while participating in a parade to celebrate New Year of the ethnic Newaris
in Katmandu, Nepal, Friday, Oct. 24, 2014.

Girls play flutes as part of the Newari New Year parade that falls during the Tihar festival, also called Diwali, in Kathmandu
October 24, 2014.

A police dog with colored powder on its head at Nepal's Central Police Dog Training School as part of the Diwali festival, also known
as Tihar Festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal, October 22, 2014.

A police officer sprinkles colored powder onto a police dog at Nepal's Central Police Dog Training School as part of the Diwali
festival, also known as Tihar Festival, in Kathmandu, October 22, 2014.

A police dog licks its face after receiving food during the dog festival, as part of celebrations of Tihar at Nepal Police Academy
in Kathmandu October 22, 2014.

Nepalese police officers stand next to dogs during a worship ceremony at Nepal's Central Police Dog Training School as part of the
Diwali festival, also known as Tihar Festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal, October 22, 2014.

A police officer puts a garland on a police dog during the dog festival as part of celebrations of Tihar at Nepal Police Academy
in Kathmandu October 22, 2014.

A police officer and his dog sit together during the dog festival as part of celebrations of Tihar at Nepal Police Academy
in Kathmandu October 22, 2014.

People attend a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of Sihamoni's coronation, in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
October 29, 2014.

A devotee offers prayers to the setting sun during the "Chhat" festival at Bagmati River in Kathmandu October 29, 2014.

Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah supporters beat their chests while chanting Imam Hussein slogans during the holy day of Ashoura, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014.

A Lebanese Shiite supporter of Hezbollah, right, with mud on his face brought from Karbala, according worshippers, listens to the story of Imam Hussein, as other man, left background, wave a religious flags during the holy day of Ashoura, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday Nov. 4, 2014.

A Lebanese Shiite supporter of Hezbollah, covers his face as he listens to the story of Imam Hussein, during the holy day of Ashoura, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday Nov. 4, 2014.

A Shi'ite Muslim girl beats her chest as she takes part in an Ashoura procession in Istanbul November 3, 2014.

A dog waits to be blessed on celebration the day of Saint Hubert at the Basilica of St Hubert, Belgium, November 3, 2014.

Afghans pray during a procession held to mark Ashura in Kabul November 3, 2014.

A Bahraini baby, laid for a blessing in a bassinet that is part of a living diorama, plays with ornaments, ahead of the Ashoura holiday during the month of Muharram, in Malkiya, Bahrain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2014.

Afghan Shiites flagellate themselves with chains and knives during the holy day of Ashoura in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 3, 2014.