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.

World Religions News

Italy moves to make feast of St. Francis of Assisi a national holiday

A 13th-century fresco of St. Francis of Assisi by the Florentine painter Cimabue, one of the earliest depictions of the saint, is located in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy.  / Credit: Jacob Stein/Crux Stationalis

Rome, Italy, Sep 24, 2025 / 13:02 pm (CNA).

The Italian Parliament this week took a major step toward making the Oct. 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi a national holiday.

The Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Italy’s Parliament, voted to pass the bill on Sept. 23, with 247 votes in favor of the proposal and two against. Eight people abstained.

The bill is highly expected to pass into law but must first be put to vote in the other house of Italy’s Parliament, the Senate. No date has been set for the Senate vote on the bipartisan initiative introduced by the center-right party “Noi Moderati” (“Us Moderates”).

St. Francis is considered Italy’s patron saint, and his feast was celebrated as a national holiday by the country until 1977. The year 2026 will be a significant year of celebration as it will mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis in 1226.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, said: “I am delighted that the chamber has given the initial green light to this proposal: Rediscovering St. Francis also means reviving his message of peace, which is more relevant than ever.”

Italy currently has 12 national work holidays on the calendar, of which eight are solely based on religious feast days, including: Epiphany on Jan. 6, Easter Monday, the Assumption of Mary on Aug. 15, All Saints Day on Nov. 1, the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, Christmas Day on Dec. 25, and the feast of St. Stephen the Martyr on Dec. 26.

The eighth religious-based holiday differs city to city as it is the patronal feast of the place. The solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29 is a holiday in Rome because they are the city’s patron saints.

The other four national holidays are Jan. 1, New Year’s Day (also the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God); April 25, the celebration of the liberation of Italy from Nazi-fascism in 1945; May 1, Labor Day (also the feast of St. Joseph the Worker); and June 2, the holiday marking the birth of the Italian republic in 1946.

Original Source:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/266743/italy-moves-to-make-oct-4-feast-of-st-francis-of-assisi-a-national-holiday