Rites Around the World

Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal (3rd R) lights a giant menorah during a ceremony in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, December 20, 2011.

A giant ice Menorah is shown in front of Chabad Lubavitch of Midtown on 5th Avenue to celebrate the 2010 Chanukah season.
Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010 in New York.

Rabbi Pinchus Ciment, with Lubavitch of Arkansas, lights a giant Menorah, Friday, Dec. 15, 2006 to celebrate
the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, in Little Rock, Ark.

A giant Hanukkiah stands in front of the Jewish Main Synagogue due to the Hannukah festival on December 6, 2007 in Munich, Germany.
Munich's Chief Rabbi Israel Dinkis and Munich's Lord Mayor Christian Ude set light to the Hanukkiah during a vespertine ceremony
at Jakobsplatz square.

Crowds watch as a giant menorah is lit for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah in Trafalgar Square in London, December 20, 2011.

Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg, father of slain Rivkah Holtzberg, lights the Menorah at the Gateway of India during a Chanukah prayer
meeting for those killed by armed militants at a Jewish centre in 'Nariman House' in Mumbai December 25, 2008.

Kazakhstan's chief Rabbi Eshaya Cohen is lifted on a hoist to light a menorah during a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah
in the centre of Almaty December 28, 2008.

A group of Israeli settlers from the evacuated settlement of Ele-Sinay stand by a Hannukah made from Qassam rocket's remains
during Hanukkah festival ceremony on the border with northern Gaza Strip, near Kibbutz Ziqim, December 9, 2007.

People pass an illuminated menorah in front of the Jewish Museum in Berlin December 18, 2007.

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Jan Fischer (2nd L) and Rabbi Manis Barash (2nd R) light a giant Menorah to celebrate Hanukkah
in front of the Prague Castle December 13, 2009.

The National Hanukkah Menorah is lit by Rabbi Levi Shemtov (L), Rabbi Abraham Shemtov (R) and White House Director of Office
of Management and Budget Jack Lew during a ceremony to mark the first night of Hanakkah in Washington December 1, 2010.

This undated photo courtesy of Lubavitch Youth Organization/Chabad.org shows what they call 'the world's largest Hanukkah menorah,"
erected annually by Chabad-Lubavitch on 5th Avenue and 59th Street in New York.

 

A man dressed as a Krampus, the companion of St. Nicholas and one of Austria's unique Advent traditions, makes his way

 during a traditional Krampus procession in Lofer, Austrian province of Salzburg, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013.

Worshippers walk around the premises of Pashupatinath Temple scattering grains during the Bala Chaturdashi festival in Kathmandu
December 2, 2013.

A woman walks around the premises of Pashupatinath Temple scattering grains during the Bala Chaturdashi festival in Kathmandu
December 2, 2013.

A costumed participant in a Perchtenlauf (Perchten parade) performs in Vienna December 6, 2013.

Muslim worshippers listen to the sermon at the historic Umayyad Mosque during weekly prayers in Damascus, Syria, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013.

A boy walks between villagers holding torches during the Divina Pastora procession, as part of a festival to honour the Virgin of
Los Rondeles, in the southern Spanish village of Casarabonela late December 12, 2013.

A reveller wearing a unicorn mask celebrates the winter solstice at Stonehenge in Amesbury, southern England December 21, 2013.

The Rev. Susan W. Springer raises and halves a wafer representing the body of Christ as she presides over a special late night
Christmas Mass at St. John's Episcopal Church, just after midnight on Christmas morning, in Boulder, Colo., Wednesday Dec. 25, 2013.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, leads the midnight Christmas mass at the Church of Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians
to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013.

A Swiss Guard stands as Pope Francis delivers his first "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message from the balcony overlooking
St. Peter's Square at the Vatican December 25, 2013.

Father Larry Dunham leads the Christmas Eve midnight Mass at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington December 25, 2013.