Religion and faith evocatively captured in 39 frames from 2017

Religion has, in today's world, gone much beyond from being just a private practice to acquire socio-economic-politico dimensions. And somewhere along the way, the spiritual and faith aspects may have gotten lost, buried or hidden. At a time when the discourse over religion versus faith versus existence has intensified to gargantuan proportions, Reuters photographers have showcased the 'phenomenon' captured through their lenses. These portrayals range from the calming to the quirky to the violent, laying bare the various shades 2017 has experienced.

Hindu priests sit inside a cave as they perform evening prayers on the banks of the river Ganges in Devprayag, India. (Source: Reuters)

A few droplets of blood stain on Pope Francis' white tunic. He suffered a bruise around his left eye and eyebrow as he was accidentally hit against the popemobile's window glass while he was visiting the old sector of Cartagena, Colombia on September 10. (Source: Reuters)

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish girl standing around a bonfire as she celebrates the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'Omer in the city of Ashdod, Israel on May 13. (Source: Reuters)

Worshippers hold candles as they take part in the Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on April 15. (Source: Reuters)

A Hindu holy man, or sadhu, smeared with ashes as he sits at the premises of Pashupatinath Temple during the Shivaratri festival in Kathmandu, Nepal on February 24. (Reuters)

Muslims praying on a street in front of an illegally built mosque which was destroyed in the district of Zemun Polje in Belgrade, Serbia on June 2. (Source: Reuters)

Young Hindu priests taking a holy bath together as part of a ritual during the sacred thread festival at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal on July 28. This festival is known as janai. (Source: Reuters)

Shalom Shtamberg, a 93-year old Holocaust survivor, is being lifted on a chair during celebrations, marking his bar mitzvah ceremony. This is a Jewish coming-of-age celebration traditionally marked by boys at the age of 13, in Haifa, Israel on August 31. (Source: Reuters)

Bulgarian men jumping to catch a wooden crucifix during Epiphany day celebrations in Sofia, Bulgaria on January 6. (Source:Reuters)

Pope Francis waving as he arrived to lead the Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican on November 22. (Source: Reuters)

Hindu saints performing rituals to celebrate Akshardham temple's silver jubilee in Gandhinagar, India on November 2. (Source: Reuters)

An infant in Kolkata lying on the back of a woman as she performed a ritual while worshipping Sheetala Mata, the Hindu goddess of smallpox, during Sheetala Puja . During this people pray for the betterment of their family and society. (Source: Reuters)

Artists dressed up as Hindu gods Rama and Laxman. They can be seen acting as fireworks explode during Vijaya Dashmi, or Dussehra festival celebrations in Chandigarh, India on September 30. (Source: Reuters)

Worshippers attending the Day of the Spiritual Indoctrinator, the annual celebrations at the Vale do Amanhecer (Valley of the Dawn) community in the Planaltina neighbourhood of Brasilia, Brazil on May 1. (Source: Reuters)

Revellers celebrating "Ash Monday" by participating in a colourful "flour war", a traditional festivity, that marks the end of the carnival season and the start of the 40-day Lent period until the Orthodox Easter,in the port town of Galaxidi, Greece, on February 27. (Source: Reuters)

Pope Francis lying as he prayed during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on April 14. (Source: Reuters)

Buddhists carrying candles as they prayed during Vesak Day, an annual celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand on May 10. (Source: Reuters)

People gathering for Iftar (breaking fast), organised by Adaleh Foundation, amidst damaged buildings during the holy month of Ramadan in Syria in the rebel-held besieged town of Douma to the east of Damascus, on June 18. (Source: Reuters)

A groom taking a sleep as newlywed couples attend a mass wedding ceremony of the Unification Church at Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, South Korea on September 7. (Source: Reuters)

The group Colla els Castellers de Vilafranca forming a human tower called 'Castell' during the All Saints Day in Vilafranca del Penedes town, near Barcelona, Spain, on November 1. (Source: Reuters)

A woman dressed up as "Catrina", a Mexican character also known as "The Elegant Death", taking part in a Catrinas parade in Mexico City, Mexico on October 22. (Source: Reuters)

An altar of a damaged church is seen in the town of Qaraqosh, south of Mosul, Iraq on April 11. (Source: Reuters)

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, crying as she sat on her bed in the United Methodist Church in which she lived while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado,on July 19. (Source: Reuters)

Palestinians standing atop a damaged building as they were waiting for the return of their relatives from the annual Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, at Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on September 12. (Source: Reuters)

Faith leaders placed their hands on the shoulders of U.S. President Donald Trump as he took part in a prayer for those affected by Hurricane Harvey in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on September 1. (Source: Reuters)

Muslim brides waiting for the start of a mass marriage ceremony in Mumbai, India. (Source: Reuters)

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protestors being sprayed with water by Israeli police as they blocked a street during a demonstration against members of their community serving in the Israeli army. This was a part of an ongoing demonstrations throughout Israel, in Jerusalem on February 9. (Source: Reuters)

Pilgrims attending a candlelight vigil at the Catholic shrine of Fatima in Portugal on May 12. (Source: Reuters)

Palestinians climbing over a section of the controversial Israeli barrier as they tried to make their way to attend the second Friday prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, near Ramallah on June 9. (Source: Reuters)

An elephant decorated with a cloth walk during the annual Nawam Perahera (street pageant) in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 9. (Source: Reuters)

A Muslim man called for the evening prayer after having his iftar (breaking of fast) meal during the holy month of Ramadan at the ruins of the Feroz Shah Kotla mosque in New Delhi, India on June 5. (Source: Reuters)

A Muslim girl looking on behind a wooden window frame at the shrine of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, a Sufi saint, during an annual religious festival in Srinagar on August 29. (Source: Reuters)

General view of cemetery on Crkvicko hill in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina on November 1. (Source: Reuters)

A gust of wind blowing Pope Francis' mantle during his Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican, on April 26. (Source: Reuters)

Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims carrying a mock coffin during a symbolic funeral marking the death anniversary of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim shrine in Baghdad's Kadhimiya district, Iraq on April 23. (Source: Reuters)

A religious statue slumped to the side after an earthquake hit the island of Ischia, near Naples, Italy on August 22. (Source: Reuters)

Actor James Burke-Dunsmore playing Jesus while performing in The Passion of Jesus at Trafalgar Square in London on April 14. (Source: Reuters)

Shi'ite Muslim men beating themselves with their hands in mourning for Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed who was killed in a 7th century battle in Kerbala, in Kerbala, Iraq on September 24. (Source: Reuters)

A girl being thrown coloured water on her face while celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colours, in Mumbai, India on March 13. (Source: Reuters)