Religions Around The World

In the early morning hours, monks can be seen walking on their alms round in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Showing humility and detachment from worldly goods, the monk walks slowly and only stops if he is called. Standing quietly, with his bowl open, the local Buddhists give him rice, or flowers, or an envelope containing money.  In return, the monks bless the local Buddhists and wish them a long and fruitful life.
Christians Celebrate Good Friday
Enacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in St. Mary's Church in Secunderabad, India. Only 2.3% of India's population is Christian. 
Ancient interior mosaic in the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora
The Church of the Holy Saviour in Istanbul, Turkey is a medieval Byzantine Greek Orthodox church.
Dome of the Rock located in the Old City of Jerusalem
The site's great significance for Muslims derives from traditions connecting it to the creation of the world and to the belief that the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey to heaven started from the rock at the center of the structure.
Holi Festival in Mathura, India
Holi is a Hindu festival that marks the end of winter. Also known as the “festival of colors”,  Holi is primarily observed in South Asia but has spread across the world in celebration of love and the changing of the seasons.
Jewish father and daughter pray at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel.
Known in Hebrew as the Western Wall, it is one of the holiest sites in the world. The description, "place of weeping", originated from the Jewish practice of mourning the destruction of the Temple and praying for its rebuilding at the site of the Western Wall.
People praying in Mengjia Longshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan
The temple is dedicated to both Taoism and Buddhism.
People praying in the Grand Mosque in Ulu Cami
This is the most important mosque in Bursa, Turkey and a landmark of early Ottoman architecture built in 1399.
Savior Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior Monastery of St. Euthymius
Located in Suzdal, Russia, this is a church rite of sanctification of apples and grapes in honor of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Fushimi Inari Shrine is located in Kyoto, Japan
It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. Fushimi Inari is the most important Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice.
Ladles at the purification fountain in the Hakone Shrine
Located in Hakone, Japan, this shrine is a Japanese Shinto shrine.  At the purification fountain, ritual washings are performed by individuals when they visit a shrine. This ritual symbolizes the inner purity necessary for a truly human and spiritual life.
Hanging Gardens of Haifa are garden terraces around the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel
They are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Israel. The Shrine of the Báb is where the remains of the Báb, founder of the Bábí Faith and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh in the Bahá'í Faith, have been buried; it is considered to be the second holiest place on Earth for Bahá'ís.
Pilgrims praying at the Pool of the Nectar of Immortality and Golden Temple
Located in Amritsar, India, the Golden Temple is one of the most revered spiritual sites of Sikhism. It is a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to worship God equally. Over 100,000 people visit the shrine daily.
Entrance gateway of Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple Kowloon
Located in Hong Kong, China, the temple is dedicated to Wong Tai Sin, or the Great Immortal Wong. The Taoist temple is famed for the many prayers answered: "What you request is what you get" via a practice called kau cim.
Christian women worship at a church in Bois Neus, Haiti.
Haiti's population is 94.8 percent Christian, primarily Catholic. This makes them one of the most heavily Christian countries in the world.

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans consult astrology, tarot cards or a fortune teller, Pew study finds

(RNS) — With tarot cards showing up on Barnes and Noble shelves, in viral TikToks and in cutesy Jane Austin-themed sets, perhaps it’s no surprise that 30% of U.S. adults consult a fortune teller, tarot cards or astrology on a yearly basis.

That’s according to a Pew Research Center study released Wednesday (May 21), which introduced new questions gauging how Americans engage in these practices. Researchers found that American adults today are now as likely to attend religious services on a monthly basis as they are to annually consult astrology, fortune tellers or tarot.

“In recent years, we’ve heard a lot about growing interest in new age practices, especially among young people and on social media, and this data shows that these practices are fairly widespread across American society,” Chip Rotolo, a research associate on Pew Research Center’s Religion and Public Life team and the report’s lead author, told RNS.

They’re especially prevalent among certain groups. Younger adults under 30 are more likely to engage in these practices than older age groups, the study found, and women are about twice as likely as men to believe in astrology. The religion breakdowns show that Hispanic Catholics, Black Protestants and those who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” are the most likely to believe in astrology and to consult it at least annually. They are also the mostly likely groups to say consulting tarot cards, astrology or fortune tellers gives them valuable insights, while atheists and white evangelical protestants are least likely to believe in or consult astrology. (Rotolo noted that the findings related to the “nothing in particular” religious group are likely attributable to other factors, like gender or age.)

But it’s LGBTQ+ Americans who appear the most invested in these practices. A notable 54% consult a horoscope or astrology at least once a year, and 33% say they consult tarot cards on a yearly basis. They are much more likely than non-LGBTQ+ adults to believe in astrology and to say these practices provide helpful insights and inform major life decisions.

“These practices sometimes emphasize things like fluidity and openness and non-rigid boundaries. And there’s work showing that people connect their identity to this,” explained Rotolo. He added that research shows many LGBTQ+ Americans struggle to feel welcome in certain religious communities. “I would say it’s not particularly surprising that these other new age practices are ways that they are connecting to spirituality,” he said.



While these findings indicate how far-reaching these practices have become, there isn’t evidence of a major shift in Americans’ beliefs in astrology. Roughly the same percent as in 2017 of U.S. adults — 27% — claim today to believe the position of the stars and planets can affect people’s lives. “When we look among different religious and demographic groups, there is almost no change in belief in astrology over the past eight years,” Rotolo noted.

And while nearly 1 in 3 Americans consult tarot cards, astrology or fortune tellers on a yearly basis, most do so for enjoyment, rather than spiritual guidance; 20% of U.S. adults say they opt in to one or more of these practices “just for fun,” and the other 10% do so for “helpful insights.” Only 1% of U.S. adults say they heavily rely on these practices when making significant life choices.  



Original Source:

https://religionnews.com/2025/05/21/nearly-1-in-3-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-a-fortune-teller-pew-study-finds/