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 Mission Day: Leo XIV calls for supporting those who bring Christ to ends of earth

Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality on Oct. 12, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 13, 2025 / 14:12 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV called on Catholics to support missionaries on World Mission Day, which will be celebrated on Oct. 19.

In a video message released Oct. 13, the Holy Father — who served as a missionary bishop in the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo — stated that this day is an opportunity for the entire Catholic Church to unite in prayer for missionaries “and for the fruitfulness of their apostolic labors.”

He shared his experience as a missionary in Peru, where he saw firsthand “how the faith, the prayer, and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities.”

The pope invited every Catholic parish in the world to participate in World Mission Sunday, emphasizing that their prayers and support help proclaim the Gospel, “provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories.”

The pontiff also urged the faithful to reflect on their baptismal call “to be missionaries of hope among the peoples” and to renew their commitment “to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus our hope to the ends of the earth.”

Pope Leo concluded his message by thanking the faithful for their support for Catholic missionaries around the world.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Original Source:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/267115/world-mission-day-leo-xiv-calls-for-supporting-those-who-bring-christ-to-the-ends-of-the-earth