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Global Faith: A Year of Prayer, Fire, and Resilience
10 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Photographers captured diverse faith displays globally in 2025.
- Images show Pope Francis' funeral, Day of the Dead, and Ramadan meals.
- Vivid photos depict rituals involving bonfires, animals, and sacred rivers.
Associated Press photographers captured the world's diverse displays of faith and spirituality throughout 2025. Images showcased massive gatherings for Pope Francis' funeral alongside intimate, solitary devotions, such as a woman honoring the sea goddess Yemanja in Uruguay. These selections, chosen from thousands, vividly portrayed religious festivals, pilgrimages, and parades.
Across the globe, photographers documented moments of intense spiritual fervor. Celebrations like Spain's St. Anthony bonfire ritual and Mexico's Day of the Dead skull parades contrasted with solemn scenes. Palestinians broke fast amidst rubble in Gaza during Ramadan, while elsewhere, Naga Sadhus bathed in sacred Indian rivers during the Kumbh Mela.
The year's images also reflected faith amidst conflict, with worshippers gathering in bombed churches in Lebanon and Syria. Capturing these moments required dedication, with photographers journeying to remote monasteries in Greece and accompanying pilgrims for days in Spain, ultimately bringing powerful stories of devotion to light.
