Members of St. Dominic Catholic Church take part in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, on Good Friday in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters)
Members of the traditional Los Historiantes dance group perform during a welcoming ceremony for Catholic devotees known as "Cumpas", in the town of Cuishnahuat, El Salvador November 26, 2015. The Catholic people of the El Balsamo mountain range meet in the village of Cuishnahuat in November to celebrate the 'friendship' between their respective patron saints in a ceremony that has been carried out for more than 300 years, according to the government. (Photo by Jose Cabezas/Reuters)
Filipino barefoot Catholics carry a replica of the Black Nazarene during a procession ahead of the Black Nazarene feast day celebrations in Manila, Philippines, 07 January 2016. The procession of the Black Nazarene is expected to draw millions of barefooted Catholic devotees to Manila on 09 January, according to a Manila police official. (Photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA)
A few Catholic devotees manage to get closer to either kiss or rub with towels the cross of the image of the Black Nazarene as they take part in a raucous procession to celebrate its feast day in Manila, Philippines, Saturday, January 9, 2016. As in the past, the annual procession attracts thousands of devotees with scores being injured and saw the deployment of hundreds of police and soldiers. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)
A pilgrim walks on her knees to fulfil her vows, as pilgrims attend the 99th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children, at the Catholic shrine of Fatima, Portugal May 12, 2016. (Photo by Rafael Marchante/Reuters)
A young Catholic waits for the start of mass at the church of Saint John the Baptist during the mud festival at Bibiclat, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines, Monday, June 24, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)
Nuns light candles during the Catholic Washing of the Feet ceremony during Easter Holy Week in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on March 28, 2024. (Photo by Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
Black Nazarene devotees clamber on top of one another to to touch the cross on January 9, 2015 in Manila, Philippines. The Feast of the Black Nazarene culminates in a day long procession on January 9 as barefoot devotees march to see and touch the image of the Black Nazarene. The Black Nazarene is a dark wood sculpture of Jesus brought to the Philippines in 1606 from Spain and considered miraculous by Filipino devotees. The event falls a week ahead of the visit of Pope Francis who will travel to Leyte and Manila during his visit to the Philippines from January 15–19. The visit is expected to attract crowds in the millions as Filipino Catholics flock to catch a glimpse of the leader of the Catholic Church. The Philippines is the only Catholic majority nation in Asia with around 90 percent of the population professing the faith. (Photo by Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images)