Rites Around the World

A Greek Orthodox woman lights candles during an Easter rite at
St. George's Church in Fener Patriarchate, Istanbul, April 24, 2011.

Worshippers gather in the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the
sites where Christians believe Christ was crucified and buried, to light their candles from
the "Holy Fire," on the eve of Easter Sunday, in Jerusalem's Old City, April 23, 201.

Christian Orthodox worshippers hold up candles lit from the "Holy Fire" as thousands
gather in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's old city, April 23, 2011, during
the "Holy Fire" ceremony on the eve of the Orthodox Easter. The ceremony celebrated in
the same way for 11 centuries, is marked by the appearance of "sacred fire" in the two
cavities on either side of the Holy Sepulchre. The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is the site
of the final resting place of Jesus Christ, according to Christian tradition.

Christian Orthodox nuns hold up lit candles outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
April 23, 201. Tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims from Eastern churches converged
on the Holy City to take part in the Easter "Holy Fire" vigil in which the "miracle" light
from Jesus' tomb is shared by candles to the crowd.

An elderly woman attends an Orthodox Easter service in the city of Chernobyl,
April 24, 2011.

People attend an Orthodox Easter service outside of the church in the city of Chernobyl,
April 24, 2011.

Macedonian Orthodox believers hold candles during a midnight Easter service in the
Orthodox Christian church of Skopje, April 24, 2011.

Greek Orthodox celebrants light candles during an Easter rite at St. George's Church
in Fener Patriarchate, Istanbul, April 24, 2011.

Greek Orthodox people light candles during an Easter rite at St. George's Church
in Fener Patriarchate, Istanbul, April 24, 2011.

Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew I (center), surrounded by priests, prays during
the Easter rite at St. George Church in Fener Patriarchate, Istanbul, April 24, 2011.

A Greek Orthodox woman carries dyed eggs during an Easter rite at St. George Church
in Fener Patriarchate, Istanbul, April 24, 2011.

A Romanian Christian Orthodox nun offers explanations to visitors at the ossuary
of Pasarea monastery shortly after the Easter religious service in Pasarea village,
east of Bucharest, April 24, 2011.

Local people light candles at the graves of their loved ones at the cemetery of Pasarea monastery, shortly after the Easter religious services in Pasarea village, April 24, 2011.

Bulgarian Orthodox bishops share the holy light with the people at the golden-domed
Alexander Nevski cathedral, during Easter mass in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, early
Sunday, April 24, 2011. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on Sunday,
which this year coincides with the catholic Easter.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill holds an Orthodox Easter
service in Moscow, April 24, 2011 at the Christ the Saviour cathedral.

A child dressed as an angel removes the veil on the statue of Mother Mary during a mass
in celebration of Easter Sunday outside St. Domingo Church in Quezon City, east of Manila
on April 24, 2011. The traditional "Salubong" mass was held to reenact the meeting of the
Risen Christ and the sorrowful Mother Mary on the dawn of Easter Sunday.

An Iraqi Muslim woman lights a candle at the Virgin Mary church in Baghdad
as she joins Christians for Easter Sunday mass on April 24, 2011.

Romanian Orthodox worshipers attend the Easter religious service in Ulmi, Romania,
early Sunday, April 24, 2011. This year the country's Orthodox majority celebrated
Easter on the same day with the Catholics.

Devotees carry gonfalons during Easter Sunday rites in the town of Novogrudok,
93 miles west of the capital Minsk in Belarus, Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Faithful gather in St. Peter's Basilica during the Easter Vigil mass celebrated by Pope
Benedict XVI, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 23, 2011. The pontif began Saturday
night's ceremony by lighting a candle that symbolizes the resurrection of Christ,
which the faithful mark on Easter Sunday.

The faithful crowd St. Peter's Square during Easter mass celebrated by Pope
Benedict XVI, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI walks on his way to deliver the Urbi and Orbi message and blessing
to faithful after the Easter Holy Mass on April 24, 2011 at St Peter's Square at The Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI delivers the Urbi and Orbi message and blessing to faithful
after the Easter Holy Mass on April 24, 2011 at St Peter's square at The Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI attends Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square on April 24, 2011
in Vatican City, Vatican.

Bosnian Croat Snjazana Piljic greets her relative Suzana Ivanicevic during the celebration
of Easter in the village of Breske, north of Sarajevo, on Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Pakistani Christians pray during an Easter Sunday Mass at a church in Lahore
on April 24, 2011.