Myths of Bigfoot

 

Was 19th Century ape woman a yeti? 6ft 6in Russian serf who could outrun a horse was 'not human', according to DNA tests

Witnesses said Zana the apewoman had the 'characteristics of a wild animal' She was allegedly trapped in Caucusus mountains and covered in thick hair Had 'enormous athletic power' and she could infamously outrun a horse A genetics professor has analysed DNA of six of her living descendants Hundreds of explorers, theorists and fantasists have spent their lives searching for the infamous 'big-foot'. But a leading geneticist believes he has found evidence to prove that it - or rather she - could have been more than a myth. Professor Bryan Sykes of the University of Oxford claims a towering woman named Zana who lived in 19th Century Russia - and appeared to be 'half human, half ape' - could have been the fabled yeti. Witnesses described the six-foot, six-inches tall woman discovered in the Caucasus mountains between Georgia and Russia as having 'all the characteristics of a wild animal' - and covered in thick auburn hair. Scroll down for video +11 Historic: A leading genetecist claims a towering woman named Zana (artist's representation) who lived in 19th Century Russia - and appeared to be 'half human, half ape' - could have been the fabled yeti   Proof: DNA evidence from Zana's granddaughter (left) and the remains of her son Khwit (right) seemed proved that Zana was of African descent even though she lived in the wild Caucusus +11 Wild: Zana was discovered and trapped by a local merchant who hired a group of hunters to hunt her down in the region of Ochamchir - and she was eventually tamed by a nobleman on his estate in Tkhina +11 Treacherous: It is thought Zana roamed the remote Caucusus mountains, where Sykes says her African ancestors lived for many generations +11 Trapped: A merchant found Zana in the Ochamchir region of western Georgia and after hunters caught her, they placed her in a ditch surrounded by sharp spikes +11 Mythical: Witnesses described the six-foot, six-inches tall woman as having 'all the characteristics of a wild animal' (fabled 'big-foot' pictured) Experts believe the wandering 'Wild Woman' was found lurking in the remote region of Ochamchir in the Republic of Abkhazia. She was captured by a local merchant in the 1850s who hired a group of hunters to subdue and shackle her in the mountainous terrain. Professor Sykes claims Zana was kept in a 'ditch surrounded by sharpened spikes' and sold from owner to owner until she came to serve nobleman Edgi Genaba as a servant. Famously known as the ape woman, Zana had at least four children by local men and some of her descendants still live in the region, the Times reported. Sykes made an astonishing discovery when he carried out saliva tests on six of her living relatives and the tooth of her deceased son Khwit. The DNA analysis revealed that they all contained the right amount of African DNA for Zana the ape woman to be '100 per cent African' but remarkably she did not resemble any known group.  Yeti DNA has also been linked to ancient polar bear.(related) +11 Discovery: Professor Bryan Sykes of the University of Oxford analysed the DNA of her living relatives in the Caucuses region and found west-African genes +11 Myth? The first accounts of the Yeti emerged before the 19th century from Buddhists who believed that the creature inhabited the Himalayas Her resemblance was that of a wild beast - 'the most frightening feature of which was her expression which was pure animal,' one Russian zoologist wrote in 1996. The man who organised various eyewitness accounts of Zana wrote: 'Her athletic power was enormous. +11 Evidence: In his book 'Nature of the Best', Sykes argues that Zana could be the yeti She would outrun a horse and swim across the Moskva river even when it rose in violent high tide.' Some have argued that she was a runaway Ottoman slave but Professor Sykes says her 'unparalleled DNA' refutes that theory. He believes her ancestors came out of Africa over 100,000 years ago and lived in the remote Caucasus for many generations. Zana was eventually 'tamed' by the nobleman who bought her as a servant and kept her on his estate in Tkhina in the Republic of Abkhazia. Accounts from the time claim she was incredibly muscular, slept outdoors and ran around naked until she died on the estate in 1890. Some of his colleagues doubt his other findings - which include a claim that an unknown species of bear might account for yeti sightings in Bhutan. Despite the lack of hard proof from the analysis of the alleged 'yeti hairs', he says he has developed a strong sense that 'something is out there' after speaking to dozens of witnesses. Professor Sykes could not say if the yeti, bigfoot or the Russian almasty is the best candidate for a surviving race of human 'apemen'. He said: 'Bigfoot has many more people trying to find it. But I suppose either the yeti or the alma / almasty, which live in inaccessible and very thinly populated regions, is the most likely.' THE MYTHICAL YETI AND THOSE WHO HAVE TRIED TO FIND IT The first accounts of Yetis emerged before the 19th century from Buddhists who believed that the creature inhabited the Himalayas. They depicted the mysterious beast as having similarities to an ape and carrying a large stone as a weapon while making a whistling sound. In 1832, an explorer who had his account of trekking in Nepal published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal spoke of seeing tall, bipedal creature covered with long dark hair, which seemed to flee in fear. The term Abominable Snowman was developed in 1921 following a book by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury called Mount Everest The Reconnaissance. Popular interest in creature gathered pace in early 20th century as tourists began making their own trips to the region to try and capture the Yeti. They reported seeing strange markings in the snow. +11 Mystical: Hundreds of explorers, theorists and fantasists have spent their lives searching for the infamous 'big-foot' The Daily Mail led a trip called the the Snowman Expedition in 1954 to Everest. During the trip mountaineering leader John Angelo Jackson photographed ancient paintings of Yetis and large footprints in the snow. A number of hair samples were also found that were believed to have come from a Yeti scalp. British mountaineer Don Whillans claimed to have witnessed a creature when scaling Annapurna in 1970. He said that while searching for a campsite he heard some odd cries which his guide attributed to a Yeti's call. That night, he saw a dark shape moving near his camp. In recent times, there have been more reported Yeti sightings and at a conference in Russia in 2011, scientists declared they were 95 per cent certain of the existence of Yetis. In 2013, a scientist claimed that the Yeti was a distant relative of the polar bear, which is thought to have died out more than 40,000 years ago. But researchers have shown that the two hair samples analysed actually originated from a modern polar bear, and a type of rare bear native to the high mountain ranges.     Was a Bigfoot shot and killed in rural Pennsylvania? Conspiracy theorists go wild with speculation after local resident's 911 call John Winesickle set conspiracy theorists into overdrive when he called 911 asking for officers to come and inspect his 'proof' of bigfoot It is straight out of the X-Files, but conspiracy theorists are buzzing with speculation that the shooting and killing of the legendary Bigfoot in Altoona, Pennsylvania has been covered up by authorities. According to Bigfoot enthusiasts, on May 14th, police in Altoona, Pennsylvania took a 911 call from a John Winesickle claiming to have proof of Sasquatch a few miles from his property and wanted them to come and verify this. While the 911 call is not in doubt, what followed has become a matter of dispute and debate as various rumors have circulated - mainly focusing on an unidentified turkey hunter who had shot and killed the mythic beast and a menacing helicopter hovering over the alleged scene. On Tuesday 14th May, officers with the Somerset County police force traded messages about an individual who had contacted the Game Commission requesting a call back about proof he had of Bigfoot. The man in Paint Township wanted an officer to come and inspect his 'evidence' for Bigfoot. That was at around 10.30 a.m. in the morning - after which events began to spiral out of control. By 2.41 p.m. the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society received an email which claimed that they had overheard chatter on police scanners which seemed to confirm that a Bigfoot had sensationally been shot.'Today in Somerset county PA a turkey hunter shot and killed an animal he claimed is a Sasquatch,' read the unusually specific mail. 'The state police were called and responded to the scene, according to chatter on the local police frequencies the officers confirmed there was an unidentified animal shot and killed. Details are a bit fuzzy at this time.' Scroll down for audio Proof: This is one of the footprints that John Winesickle showed responding police officers claiming they were Bigfoot's - they in fact belonged to bears The wild and beautiful countryside around Somerset County in Pennsylvania - where John Winesickle claims a Bigfoot lives near to his house However, 40 minutes later the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society received an even more outrageous email that they claim has a name and contact number attached. Beginning, 'Hello, YES this is legit, a strange report came over the scanner here in Somerset, Pa. just a few miles from Flight 93memorial,' the email stated that the Bigfoot had been shot on either Russell or Rustic road in Somerset County. The email goes into detail as to how they heard the police scanner radio, mentioning the alleged turkey hunter. 'What he said he heard was that a hunter had called and stated that he had shot a Bigfoot. He soon heard some radio chatter from police who were reportedly joking about the report,' says the email. 'It was about 20 minutes later that he said he heard a police officer radio back and state, 'there was a body'. He said the next radio transmission to the officer was, 'call the center.' The email also mentions 'a large helicopter,' approaching where the Sasquatch was. 'The sound was so loud it shook his house, so he went outside to take a look. It was then that he observed a formation of four Army Apache helicopters approaching from the north and moving in the direction of Somerset.' Officers from Paint Township Police Department in Somerset County, Pennsylvania patiently responded and listened to Mr. Winesickle's 911 Bigfoot call However, despite the frenzy of speculation that the mythic Bigfoot had been found, it seemed the truth was as disappointing to conspiracy theorists as always. According to wearecentralpa.com, the origin of the call requesting an officer come and see his Bigfoot evidence was local man John Winesickle. He did indeed show an officer 'picture after picture' of alleged footprints - but no body and he wasn't even turkey shooting. Winesickle told police that he has believed in Sasquatch his entire life and that he knows one lives near his Paint Township home. He even refuted the polite denials of his picture by the police officer. Pennsylvania Big Foot sighting 911 call Bigfoot Country: Pennsylvania has long been known to be a hot bed of Sasquatch activity as this unverified picture from 2007 proves 'No, No,' said Winesickle in an interview with WTAJ. 'A bear can't go down a steep bank on all twos,' he said. 'This is Bigfoot.' He said he once came close to actually seeing what he claims was Bigfoot, but added whatever he saw quickly ran away. 'It's deathly afraid,' he added. 'It won't hurt you.' Although the police report concludes that Winesickle saw bear tracks, he's still thankful they investigated, and he still insists Bigfoot was in the area. 'The police have been very nice to me,' he said. 'It wasn't a bear, it was Bigfoot.'   Is this Bigfoot ... or is it a bear with bad skin? Last updated at 10:02 30 October 2007 It is furry, lives in the woods and walks on all fours. Beyond that, there are no hard facts about the furtive creature spotted prowling around the foot of a tree in Pennsylvania. But its mysterious appearance has prompted a storm of speculation - and prompted many Bigfoot believers to grab their cameras and head for the woods. Scroll down for more ... Bigfoot or bear with bad skin?: The jury's out Others, however, believe it's just a bear with bad skin. The animal was photographed by Rick Jacobs, who captured the images after fastening a camera with an automatic trigger to a tree in the Allegheny National Forest on September 16. He had hoped to get pictures of deer - but instead ended up with something more sinister. "I couldn't figure out what it was," he said. "But I've been hunting for years and I've never seen anything like this." Mr Jacobs contacted the Bigfoot Research Organization, which pursues reports of the legendary two-legged creature, also known as the sasquatch, that some people believe lives in parts of the U.S. and Canada. "It appears to be a primate-like animal. In my opinion, it appears to be a juvenile Sasquatch," said Paul Majeta of the Bigfoot group. Captured: The images were taken by a camera set up in a tree Despite the furore, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has a more conventional opinion. Agency spokesman Jerry Feaser said conservation officers routinely trap bears to be tagged and often see animals that look like the photos. "There is no question it is a bear with a severe case of mange," Feaser said. According to most reports, Bigfoot is a large ape with dark brown or dark reddish hair. There have been recorded sightings of the creature since 1840 but most scientists dimiss the sasquatch as myth. Scroll down for more ... Hoax?: A still from the Paterson film showing another 'Bigfoot' Watch the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film here However, the Bigfoot legend refuses to die and there have been a number of elaborate hoaxes, as well as some possible genuine spots. The best known and most controversial was a film shot by two Americans Roger Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin which purported to show a genuine recording of Bigfoot. Photographer Roger Patterson compares his foot with cast in Los Angeles on Nov. 3, 1967 he says he made of California's Legendary "Bigfoot"monster after tracking it in forest country near Eureka, CA. Photograph from AP Rachel Hartigan Shea National Geographic Published September 9, 2013 Does Bigfoot exist? What about the Loch Ness monster? Or the Yeti? Or Mokele Mbembe, the Congo dinosaur? There's ample circumstantial evidence for all these creatures: eyewitness accounts, blurry photographs, mysterious footprints. For many cryptozoologists—the people who search for legendary animals—that evidence is enough to confirm a monster's existence. But it will take more than shadowy sightings to convince Daniel Loxton andDonald R. Prothero that Bigfoot or any of the other monsters are real. What Loxton and Prothero want is scientific evidence. In their new book, Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids, they analyze the history of mythic beasts and the clues to their existence. Loxton and Prothero come at cryptozoology from different directions. Loxton, a staff writer for Skeptic magazine, was an ardent believer in monsters as a kid, having spotted a Bigfoot print in the woods and a pterodactyl winging over his backyard. (Now, he suspects the print was a prank and the pterodactyl was agreat blue heron.) Prothero is a paleontologist, who is also trained in biology and geology. He has written over 250 scientific papers and 28 books, including five textbooks on geology. National Geographic's Rachel Hartigan Shea spoke with the two authors about bringing skepticism and science to the study of cryptids. First of all, what is a cryptid? DP: A cryptid is any animal that has never been described by science, usually something very unusual along the lines of a Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot, something that stretches the limits of what is scientifically plausible. DL: It's based on the word cryptozoology, which means hidden life or animals. It implies a creature that's been recorded through folklore, something that we have reason to suspect exists. What can science tell us about cryptids? DP: The first thing, of course, is that a cryptid can't be a single animal. If there's one of them, there's got to be many of them. You can talk about their population density, the size of range they should have based on their estimated body size. All of that tends to weigh against them being real because they should have had huge ranges, and they should have been spotted a long time ago if they really did exist. And then there's other aspects, like geology, something you never hear the cryptozoologists mention. All the lake monsters, not just Loch Ness but the ones here in North America, in Lake Champlain and Lake George, were all under a mile of ice 20,000 years ago. The cryptozoologists never asked the question, "Well, how did the monster get in the lake if the lake was completely under ice, the lakes are all landlocked, and there's no way for a marine creature to get there at all?" Those are all things that are not news to geologists, they're not news to biologists, but they're apparently news to cryptozoologists.

Bigfoot lives out west and prefers Missouri to Kansas: All reported Sasquatch sightings since 1921 are plotted on just one map A new map that plots out every reported Bigfoot sighting in North America for the last 92 years reveals some very interesting patterns, whether you believe in the mysterious beast or not. PhD candidate Josh Stevens mapped out the 3,313 possible Sasquatch spots since 1921 and people do seem to glimpse the hairy creature much more in some regions than others. The map and data collated by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization show, for example, that Bigfoot has supposedly been spotted three times more often in Missouri than neighboring Kansas. Spotting a sasquatch? There are regions of U.S where sightings are very common, despite a low population. And most of them are in the West Stevens explains on his website: 'Right away you can see that sightings are not evenly distributed. At first glance, it looks a lot like a map of population distribution.' This makes sense - by a law of averages you would expect an area with more people to report more possible Sasquatch viewings. Even so, there are some very bright spots around the Ohio River Valley, Mississippi River Valley, the Sierra Nevada mountains, central Florida and the Pacific Northwest. Yet it gets intriguing when Stevens maps the relationship between reported sightings and population density (right). As he notes: 'There are distinct regions where sightings are incredibly common, despite a very sparse population. 'On the other hand, in some of the most densely populated areas sasquatch sightings are exceedingly rare.'  Most of these Bigfoot hot spots are in the Western United States. Stevens acknowledges that 'terrain and habitat likely play a major role in the distribution of reports.' Proof? There is still debate over the existence of the sasquatch and grainy photos such as this one are often dismissed as hoaxes He notes that the population data is based on Census figures that only take into account where people live, not where they vacation or travel. Stevens also says that the reporting mechanism is not hugely precise as the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) only allow spotters to enter the nearest city. If you're keen to see a sasquatch yourself, the BFRO offers four-day expeditions into the North American wilderness to try and find the mysterious ape. In 2013 there are still spots left on the trips in British Columbia, North Carolina, Georgia, and a major sasquatch hotspot - Missouri. Eerie footage shot in the Canadian wilderness has set off speculation that the mystery figure filmed in the distance could be the legendary Bigfoot. The startling video allegedly shot by a couple hiking in Mission, British Columbia, shows a large, gangling figure covered in hair, lumbering over a forest hilltop. As always with these kinds of sightings, the clip is very blurry, but from what the viewer can make out the figure emerges from a tree and is visible for around 20 seconds - before appearing to punch a few leaves out of the way before disappearing out of sight.   Close-Up: This zoomed in image shows the figure in the center that was filmed by a couple out for a hike in Mission, Canada Hikers capture video of mysterious 'Bigfoot' in Canada   The silent video has been viewed over 50,000 times since it was uploaded onto YouTube on Wednesday - however it is not clear when exactly the clip was filmed. According to Crypto-zoology website 'Legend Tracker', the couple were on a hiking holiday when they spotted the mythic creature in the distance and began to film. The tantalizing footage has left Bigfoot believers hoping that experts can examine it and therefore prove that the legendary ape-like Sasquatch does indeed live in the forests of North America. At the beginning of July, the claims of Texas veterinarian Melba Ketchum's that she had proved the existence of Sasquatch with DNA evidence were refuted. Walking: On the left of center of the image is the figure that is believed to be the mythical Bigfoot The 'sample' she said proved the existence of Bigfoot turned out to contain mostly opossum DNA, mixed in with markers from other animals, according to tests. Houston Chronicle science reporter Eric Berger says there is no evidence that any of the DNA in the sample belongs to a Sasquatch or any other hominid cousins of humans. When Ketchum released her 'scientific study' of Big Foot earlier this year, Berger hammered her for not submitting the paper to a credible peer-reviewed journal and not allowing mainstream researchers to verify her work. Instead, she launched a journal of her own, the DeNovo Scientific Journal, and published her findings online and charged $30 to read the work. Remote: Mission, British Columbia is pictured here - the thousands of miles of wilderness would be perfect for Bigfoot to hide Face-off: Science reporter Eric Berger had the reputed Bigfoot DNA tested by a top geneticist. He found Melba Ketchum's claim of finding the Sasquatch false Houston Chronicle science reporter Eric Berger says a reputed sample of Bigfoot sample contains mostly opossum DNA - along with traces from other animals Iconic: This photo shows what former rodeo rider Roger Patterson claimed is the American version of the Abominable Snowman. He said pictures of the creature, estimated at 7 1/2 feet tall, were taken northeast of Eureka, California 'If Ketchum really had the goods she would have co-authored the paper with reputable scientists and gotten the work published in a reputable scientific journal,' Berger wrote in February. 'Instead she’s playing to an audience that doesn’t understand how science works, that wants to believe Bigfoot exists and is willing to send her some cash to further their delusions.' However, Ketchum approached Berger and offered him definitive proof of her findings - she would let his friend, a top Houston geneticist, take a sample of her Big Foot DNA and test it himself. Ketchum claims the sample came from a family of ten Sasquatches that lives in northern Michigan. She says the sample was taken from the crumbs left behind after the Bigfoots ate blueberry bagels. Berger admits he allowed himself to get momentarily excited by the prospect of testing Sasquatch DNA. 'If the evidence backed up Ketchum’s claims, I had a blockbuster story. My geneticist source would have a hand in making the scientific discovery of the decade, or perhaps the century. Ketchum would be vindicated,' he wrote. Instead, he says, rational science came crashing down. The sample contained nothing more than the remnants left behind by common forest animals.   Last November, some geneticists claimed to have sequenced the genome of Bigfoot.People were skeptical. So were all the peer-reviewed journals they tried to publish in. Just couldn't get the damn thing printed. So the researchers went and founded their own, brand-new journal in which to publish their findings (yes, really). From the website of first author Melba Ketchum (emphasis added): Published: Texas vet Dr Melba Ketchum has finally published the results of her study she claims to conclusively prove Bigfoot's existence A Texas-based vet who claimed to have found DNA evidence of Bigfoot has finally published her findings - in a journal she set up. Melba Ketchum hopes her 'proof' of the existence of the elusive hominids will be the first step towards recognising them as an undiscovered Native American group. Although she first announced her claims in November, the publication of her full results was delayed because no peer-reviewed scientific journal would accept her study. Instead, Dr Ketchum, from Nacogdoches, Texas, apparently finally self-published her findings on Saturday in the so-called DeNovo Scientific Journal. She is selling the study - entitled Novel North American Hominins, Next Generation Sequencing of Three Whole Genomes and Associated Studies - for $30 through the journal's website. Her rejection by mainstream journals and choice to self publish has, inevitably, raised eyebrows. Dr Ketchum, a veterinarian-researcher claims to have discovered genetic proof which shows Bigfoot is in fact a human hybrid, descended from human women who mated with men of 'an unknown hominin species.' She has said that mitochondrial DNA in her samples, apparently obtained from leftover blueberry bagels eaten by a family of 10 bigfoot's who live in Michigan, show clear evidence of genetic mixing. 'Genetically, the Sasquatch are a human hybrid with unambiguously modern human maternal ancestry,' she said in a statement published last November. 'Government at all levels must recognize them as an indigenous people and immediately protect their human and Constitutional rights against those who would see in their physical and cultural differences a "license" to hunt, trap, or kill them.' The findings are apparently the result of five years of work by Dr Ketchum's firm DNA Diagnostics. The study concludes that Bigfoot is a missing link that arose approximately 15,000 years ago. It is the first study which claims to have offered any kind of DNA analysis of the legendary mountain men, also known as Sasquatches. We are people 2: Dr Ketchum hopes her 'proof' of the existence of the elusive hominids will be the first step towards recognising them as an undiscovered Native American group But Dr Ketchum's decision to self-publish her findings, and charge for them, has raised suspicions in the eyes of many observers. Robert Gonzales wrote on science website i09: 'The site claims to be "open access", but charges 30 bucks to access the Bigfoot genome paper. 'It bears mentioning that the Bigfoot genome paper, at the time of this posting, is also the only paper in Vol. 1, Issue 1 of the new journal. 'Seeing as "open access" clearly does not mean what these researchers think it means, you’ll forgive us if we remain skeptical when they say their data "conclusively proves that the Sasquatch exist as an extant hominin".' A frame of the famous footage purporting to show Bigfoot filmed by former rodeo rider Roger Patterson According to Fox News, scientists have already issued 'universally scathing reviews' of the paper. The U.S. network said that it appears that Dr Ketchum 'apparently views herself as less of a Bigfoot researcher than a valiant protector of a peaceful, vulnerable, and undiscovered native people'. It points to another of Dr Ketchum's sites, The Sasquatch Genome Project, where it is claimed that '[t]he Sasquatch people are more like us than they are different.' The site goes on: 'The Sasquatch people have their own language, traditions, and rituals. They live in family units, they order their lives according to the laws of their people, and they bury their dead. 'Yet the Sasquatch people are captivating because of their physical, genetic, and cultural differences. 'Sadly, these special traits also make them uniquely vulnerable to those who would see in their unusual lifestyle or appearance a justification to harass, trap, or even kill them. 'Your compassion and understanding will be vital to protect the Sasquatch people.'

GOOD FRIDAY 2015

 

 

 

 

Thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square in central London today to watch an awe-inspiring reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the shadow of the National Gallery, actor James Burke-Dunsmore delivered a harrowing portrayal of Jesus's final hours as Christians across the country commemorated Good Friday. Blake-Dunsmore, wearing a purple robe and white rags, trudged through the crowds flanked and taunted by men dressed as Roman centurions. Scroll down for video +99 Huge crowds gathered in central London today to witness the reenactment of the Way of the Cross in TTrafalgar Square Wearing a mock crown of thorns, his torso bloodied with realistic-looking lash wounds, the actor let out a cry as he was attached to the cross during the impressive theatrical production. The Passion of Jesus play was put on by Wintershall and included more than a hundred actors, horses, a donkey and authentic soldier costumes from the 12th Legion of the Roman Army. While the prominent UK Holy Week celebration featured a mock crucifixion, penitents in other countries carried out the ritual for real, with dozens of men in the Philippines being nailed to crosses to atone for their sins. In the tradition of self-flagellation, bare-footed Filipino men with bloodied backs lay on roads being beaten with sticks or marched through the streets while whipping themselves with chains - many completing the ritual penance by kneeling on the ground to pray before chapels. The extreme ritual was also carried out in La Paz in Bolivia and in Indonesia and Mexico. +99 Actor James Burke- Dunsmore performs The Passion of Jesus put on by the Wintershall theatre company in Trafalgar Square in London today +99 A group of actors dressed as Roman soldiers hoist Jesus up while he is attached to the cross outside the National Gallery in London +99 Actor James Burke-Dunsmore hangs on the cross while depicting Jesus during the Wintershall's 'The Passion of Jesus' production today In Indonesia, Catholics, who make up just three per cent of the population, also gathered for an alarmingly realistic reenactment of the crucifixion as three men were strung up on crosses in the jungle of Wonogiri in central Java. Holy Week marks the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus culminating in Easter Sunday, has been met with mesmerising religious parades across five continents since the start of the week. In contrasting displays of Christian devotion, Pope Francis was pictured washing the feet of inmates in a Rome prison yesterday. After celebrating the Holy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper at a jail on the outskirts of the city, the Argentine pontiff knelt over a basin to clean the feet of 12 prisoners - mimicking Jesus' washing of his apostles' feet on the Thursday before his death. +99 The theatrical production included a cast of 100 actors, horses, a donkey and authentic costumes of Roman soldiers +99 Good Friday is a Christian religious holiday before Easter Sunday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross Meanwhile, in Spain, haunting marches of Christian brotherhoods continued last night as hundreds of cloaked and hooded penitents bearing candles made their way through the streets of Zamora, in the west of the country. Other processions crossed the beach in Valencia, passing bikini-clad sunbathers. In Uruguay, Christian commemorations took on a more carnival-like atmosphere as fearless cowboys known as guachos competed in the annual Easter rodeo tournament in the capital Montevideo. Effigies to Jesus and mock crucifixions drew mass crowds in Central American countries including Nicaragua and El Salvador where thousands gathered in the indigenous town of Izalco to witness the procession of Los Cristos led by members of the Nazareno Christian brotherhood. +99 A scene from the reenactment of the Way of the Cross is performed at Trafalgar Square in celebration of Good Friday in central London +99 Burke-Dunsmore struggles to bear the cross while being taunted by Roman centurions as he trudges through Trafalgar Square +99 Thousands attended the spectacular Good Friday show today in Trafalgar Square in central London +99 Unexpected visitors: Penitents dressed in cloaks march past groups of sunbathers during Good Friday celebrations in Valencia today +99 A Filipino penitent grimaces as he is nailed to the cross during Good Friday rituals Pampanga province, northern Philippines today +99 Christian devotees carry thorny boughs on their shoulders as they make their way through Taxco in the Mexican state of Guerrero yesterday +99 Kissing prisoners' feet: Pope Francis performed the act at Rebibbia prison in Rome yesterday after holding a Holy Thursday Mass for inmates +99 Roman Catholics take part in the La Sanch Good Friday procession of penitents along the streets of Perpignan, in southwestern France +99 Penitents take part in the La Sanch Good Friday procession in the streets of Perpignan, in southwestern France today +99 Penitents in red robes carry a statue of Jesus Christ in a procession on Good Friday in Zipaquira, Colombia +99 Caroline Wilson (right) carries a cross as she joins pilgrim crossing from Beal sands to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland +99 Realistic reenactment: Three men hang from crosses during a staging of Jesus Christs's final hours in Wonogiri, Central Java, Indonesia +99 Penitents attend a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in the Pampajasi district, on the outskirts of La Paz, Bolivia +99 Painful celebrations: Hooded Filipino penitents hit their back with wooden sticks during Good Friday rituals to atone for sins today +99 Penitent Ruben Enaje winces as he's raised by actors playing the role of Roman soldiers after being nailed to the cross for the 29th time +99 A man is carried away by a medical team after being nailed to the cross during the reenactment of the crucifixion in the Philipines today +99 Several Filipino devotees had themselves nailed to crosses, an annual rite frowned upon by church leaders +99 A hooded Filipino penitent plays with his son after his flaggelation during Good Friday rituals to atone for sins +99 A man demonstrates his devotion to his faith by being strun up on a crosson the outskirts of La Paz in Bolivia today +99 The volunteer grimaces in pain as he is nailed to the cross in a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus in Bolivia Humbling moment Pope Francis washes prisoners' feet   +99 People gather at the Sacre Coeur church in Montmartre's Basilica with Cardinal Andre Armand Vingt-Trois in Paris, France +99 Indonesian Catholics participate in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during a Good Friday procession in Indonesia +99 Penitents carry the figures of St. John (L) AND Mother of Sorrows (R) and The Nazarene in front of hundreds of faithfuls in Leon, Spain +99 Calm before the storm: Masked penitents prepare for the beginning of a procession through the streets of Taxco in Mexico yesterday +99 Atoning sins: A masked penitent kneels as he flagellates himself during a procession in the streets of Taxco in the Mexican state of Guerrero +99 Convicing portrayal: An Indian Christian plays the role of Jesus Christ during a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ in Mumbai today +99 Mock crucifixion: An actor reels on the ground while taking part in the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in Masaya city, Nicaragua yesterday +99 Australian event: Actor Brendan Paul carries a cross through Sydney's central business district today +99 Members of the Wesley Mission used a modern interpretation of the recreation of Jesus' journey in Sydney today +99 Festival: Two women look captivated as penitents dressed as Roman soldiers march through the Spanish village of Puente Genil yesterday +99 An Indian Christian is tied to the cross as he plays the part of Jesus at the crucifixion in Gauhati, India today +99 Mock crucifixion: A Catholic devotee nailed to a cross is hoisted by participants during a reenactment of the crucifixion on Good Friday +99 Peaceful protest: An Indonesian man carries a cross during a silent peace rally on Good Friday on a paddy field at Grogol village in Magelang +99 Christian gathering: The Nazareno brotherhood lead the procession of Los Cristos in the indigenous town of Izalco in El Salvador yesterday +99 +99 Mimicking Jesus: Pope Francis is pictured kneeling while washing the feet of 12 inmates and a baby at Rome's main prison yesterday +99 Pope Francis greets people after delivering a Holy Thursday homily in the Rebibbia prison chapel in Rome +99 Remote celebration: Catholics participate in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday at Gandul hills in Indonesia +99 Demonstration of faith: Indonesian Catholics take part in mock crucifixions to mark Good Friday - the day that Jesus died on the cross +99 A Lebanese man plays the role of Jesus during a re-enactment of the crucifixion in Quraye near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon +99 Street performance: Indonesians take part in a reenactment of the Stations Of The Cross on Good Friday at the Raja Agung church +99 In the minority: Catholics in indonesia make up approximately three per cent of the population of the predominantly Muslim country +99 Holy Week: A procession of Catholics march through the jungle of Wonogiri in central Java, Indonesia today to celebrate Good Friday +99 Catholic devotees hold a wooden cross during a Good Friday mass at a church in Colombo, Sri Lanka today +99 Haunting display: Cloaked and hooded penitents bearing candles take part in another procession in Arriate, Spain on Holy Thursday +99 European festivities: Members of the Misericordia brotherhood are pictured in the streets of Alcafozes in Portugal yesterday +99 A group of self-flagellating penitents with blood-soaked backs kneel before erected crosses in Manila today +99 Filipno flagellants kneel in front of crosses while whipping their backs with wooden flails as a form of penance during Holy Week +99 A hooded Filipino penitent flagellates during Good Friday rituals today to atone for sins in Pampanga province, northern Philippines +99 Making a stand: A Christian man carries a cross during Good Friday procession outside Nairobi in Kenya today +99 Procession: Crowds of people were seen following the shirted man as he carried the wooden cross along a path outside Nairobi in Kenya +99 Minority Indonesian Catholics reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the compound of St Mikael church near the Al-Ikhlas Mosque +99 UK tradition: For 40 years Christians have taken part in the march to Holy Island, walking through Northumberland and the Scottish Borders +99 Spectacular: Thousands attend the procession of the Cristo de la Sentencia (Christ of Sentence) at the Macarena Basilica, in Seville last night +99 Queue to march: Men wearing traditional 'capirotes' on their head prepare to join a procession through the streets of Puente Genil in Spain +99 Menacing appearance: A penitent from 'Jesus Nazareno' brotherhood takes part in a Holy Week procession in Castro del Rio, Spain today +99 Traditional attire: The procession marched through Castro del Rio in Spain today carrying crosses +99 Christian worshippers carry a wooden cross as they walk along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, Israel today +99 Holy rodeo: A South American cowboy known as a gaucho desperately tries to stay on a wild horse during the annual rodeo festival in Uruguay +99 Spectacle: The traditional competition involves riding a wild horse over a period of eight to ten seconds depending on the different categories +99 Ouch! A cowboy falls beneath a horse in this painful-looking picture taken during the Criolla del Prado rodeo in Montevideo, Uruguay +99 Although the city of Montevideo has organized the annual rodeo since 1925, Uruguay's Parliament declared rodeo a traditional sport in 2006 +99 Flung: A South American cowboy known as a gaucho is thrown of a wild horse during the rodeo competition held every year during Holy Week +99 Sent flying: A bucking horse flings a rider from its back as others look on hopeful that the cowboy is unhurt +99 Renowned event: Riders come from all corners of Uruguay and from neighbouring South American countries to participate in the rodeo +99 A cowboy is caught in a particularly precarious position as a fellow rider attempts to soften his fall by grabbing hold of his arm +99 A gaucho is pictured wearing a pair of horse skin boots which are used in the 'basto Argentino' riding category +99 Victory lap: Only the best riders from the competition are given the privilege to ride around the field carrying the Uruguayan flag +99 Bizarre fertility ritual: Women run as men throw water at them as part of traditional Easter time celebration in Hungary today +99 The 'watering of the girls' is a fertility ritual rooted in Hungarian tribes' pre-Christian past, going as far back as the 2nd century +99 The two women squirm as buckets of water are thrown over them by boys in the Hungarian village of Szenna +99 Tradition dictates that girls dress in traditional garb and take to the streets, where boys will throw buckets of water at them as they run past +99 +99 A a Good Friday procession sees Christian believers dressed in cloaks and hoods march through Sorrento in Naples +99 Hidden devotees: Penitents march as they take part in a procession of torches during Holy Week in Valencia last night +99 Young Christians join the ranks: Smoke of burning incense flows while penitents take part in a procession in Arriate, Spain yesterday +99 The way of light: Devotees of the Jesus Yacente brotherhood take part in a Holy Week procession in Zamora, western Spain last night +99 Leading the way: A female devotee is pictured with her hands clasped together in prayer during a march through the Spanish city of Valencia +99 Statue of Christ: An effigy to Jesus Christ is carried on top of a float by the hooded figures of the Jesus Yacente brotherhood in Zamora +99 Spanish celebrations: This march in Zamora is just one of hundreds of processions take place throughout Spain during the Easter Holy Week +99 Commitment to the cause: An actor commemorates the crucifixion by performing in the streets of Masaya city in Nicaragua yesterday +99 An actor takes part in the reenactment of the crucifixion in the Indian neighborhood of Monimbo in Masaya, Nicaragua yesterday +99 Religious self-harm: A flagellant covered in blood kneels in front of the San Fernando Cathedral in the Philippines yesterday +99 Divisive: The Catholic Church has previously expressed disapproval of the gory ritual which takes place in the Philippines every year +99 Alarming display: A man uses a stick to whip a penitent in front of a chapel during a ritual in Angeles city, northern Philippines yesterday +99 Tradition: Flagellation is a form of religious discipline observed every lenten season by Catholic devotees in the Philippines +99 Beaten bloody: A flagellant prays by the San Fernando Cathedral in the town of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines yesterday +99 Shocking display: Filipino flagellants whip their back along a street in Mabalacat city, Pampanga Province in the Philippines yesterday +99 Sunbathers are disturbed as penitents of the 'Christ the Saviour and Protector' brotherhood walk by on the beach in Valencia +99 Mission: The pilgrims walk around 100 miles through Northumberland and the Scottish Borders to reach Holy Island during Holy Week +99 A woman carried a cross over the beach on her journey to Holy Island, Berwick Upon Tweed today +99 Wet Good Friday Pilgrims walk with crosses as the Northern Cross pilgrimage makes its final leg to Holy Island, Berwick Upon Tweed +99 Street performance: An actor depicts Jesus's march to the cross followed by a procession on Epsom High Street in Surrey today A young Bolivian covered in fake blood was hoisted up on a cross under the crisp Andean sun, while an inmate in Mexico City played the role of Jesus as faithful across the Americas re-enacted the final hours of Jesus' life on Good Friday. Haitian pilgrims hiked across the mountains to visit the Stations of the Cross, some balancing stones on their heads as a form of penance. Ecuadoreans packed the capital's downtown as men carried a statue of Jesus through the streets and women walked shrouded by dark purple lace veils. +28 During a reenactment of the final procession of Jesus Christ to his crucifixion, men playing the role of Roman soldiers raise a cross with the man playing the role of Jesus Christ at the summit of Villa Armonia in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, April 3, 2015. The annual tradition marks Good Friday for devout Catholics in Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) Hooded penitents in Mexico wore heavy chains and endured prickly cacti stuck to their bodies. Others hung from trees, suspended by body harnesses, re-enacting the hanging of Judas. Nicaraguans portraying Judas wore colorful and unique costumes, including pink face masks with sunglasses. In Puerto Rico, a woman held up a cloth showing an image of Jesus' face in red. Peruvian musicians played trumpets, onlookers clutched Holy Week schedules and female penitents walked among heavy incense with their heads covered in white lace. A man playing the role of Jesus in Paraguay acted out the anguish of being tortured while he carried a wooden cross and other faithful costumed as Roman soldiers lashed and kicked him. A slum in Rio de Janeiro put on a Passion of Christ performance in which the shadow of Jesus' cross cast a sinister shadow on a nearby building. In Guatemala, children put on purple and white costumes to play the part of penitents, and afterward stopped to eat cotton candy on the sidewalk. +28 A hooded penitent, wearing chains and prickly cactus stuck in his flesh, prepares to walk in a Good Friday procession during Holy Week celebrations in Atlixco, Puebla state, Mexico, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) +28 Pilgrims kneel in prayer after reaching the final of the 14 Stations of the Cross, symbolizing when Jesus Christ was laid in his tomb, on Morne Calvaire Miracle, in Ganthier, Haiti, Friday, April 3, 2015. Thousands of devout Haitians travel to the small town east of Port-au-Prince on Good Friday, hike across the surrounding mountains, visiting the Stations of the Cross, that represent Jesus Christ's final journey to his crucifixion at Calvary. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) +28 Women dressed as penitents, called "Veronicas," walk in the Good Friday procession in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) +28 A parishioner playing the role of Judas, one of the 12 original apostles of Jesus Christ who's known for his kiss and betrayal of Jesus in exchange for money, hangs from a tree, suspended with a safety belt, as part of a Good Friday custom in Santa Cruz, Mexico, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) +28 A youth poses for a portrait in his Judas costume during the "Los Encadenados," or The Chained Ones, procession on Good Friday during Holy Week in Masatepe, Nicaragua, Friday, April 3, 2015. Judas was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus known for his betrayal. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) +28 People surround the statue of "Jesus del Gran Poder" for a Good Friday procession during Holy Week in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) +28 Haitians take part in a Good Friday pilgrimage to Morne Calvaire Miracle, in Ganthier, Haiti, Friday, April 3, 2015. Thousands of devout Haitians travel to the small town east of Port-au-Prince on Good Friday, hike across the surrounding mountains, visiting the Stations of the Cross, or depictions of Jesus Christ's final journey to his crucifixion at Calvary. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) +28 The shadow of a parishioner on a cross is cast on the ground during a Good Friday reenactment of the Stations of the Cross in Santa Cruz, Mexico, Friday, April 3, 2015. The annual tradition marks the day Jesus Christ is believed to have died by crucifixion, commonly known as Good Friday. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) +28 A woman holds up a cloth with an image of Jesus' face in red, believed to be from Jesus' blood after his face was wiped with it, during a reenactment of Jesus' last hours at a Stations of the Cross procession during Holy Week in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Good Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo) +28 Rosibel Miranda attends a Good Friday procession inside the Virgin of Asuncion church during Holy Week in Masaya, Nicaragua, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) +28 Banda Nazarena musicians play their instruments while taking part in a Good Friday procession honoring "The Lord of Miracles", the patron saint of Lima, Peru, Friday, April 3, 2015. Devout Christians in Peru commemorate the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday with processions and reenactments of the Stations of the Cross, or Jesus Christ's final journey to his crucifixion. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) +28 Actor Lucas Valentim plays the role of Jesus during a Passion of Christ procession on Good Friday during Holy Week in the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, April 3, 2015. Holy Week commemorates the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) +28 Inmate Aurelio Quevedo, center, portrays Jesus during a reenactment of the Passion of Christ, along with fellow inmates, on Good Friday at the Mexico City Penitentiary during Holy Week in Mexico City, Friday, April 3, 2015. Quevedo, a 37-year-old taxi driver who is serving a 49-year sentence for kidnapping, said he hoped this was only his first Good Friday performance. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) +28 A penitent wearing chains attached to his ankles prepares to walk in a Good Friday procession during Holy Week celebrations in Atlixco, Puebla state, Mexico, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) +28 A statue of Jesus lays inside a glass case before the start of a Holy Week procession on Good Friday in Masaya, Nicaragua, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) +28 Actor Lucas Valentim, right, plays the role of Jesus during a Passion of Christ procession on Good Friday during Holy Week in the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, April 3, 2015. Holy Week commemorates the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) +28 A girl dressed as an angel stands on a platform as she's carried during a Holy Week procession on Good Friday in Masaya, Nicaragua, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) +28 A woman carries a bouquet of flowers to the summit of Villa Armonia, in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, April 3, 2015, where the Good Friday procession, reenacting the final procession of Jesus Christ to his crucifixion, concludes. The annual tradition marks Good Friday for devout Catholics in Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) +28 A woman watches the Good Friday procession honoring "The Lord of Miracles", the patron saint of Lima, Peru, Friday, April 3, 2015. Devout Christians in Peru commemorate the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday with processions and reenactments of the Stations of the Cross, or Jesus Christ's final procession to his crucifixion. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) +28 A man plays the role of Jesus as he reenacts Christ's death during a Good Friday procession, along with other members of Domingo Savio church, in Fernando de la Mora on the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, April 3, 2015. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death by crucifixion. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) +28 A penitent adjusts his hood at a Good Friday procession during Holy Week in La Paz, Friday, April 3, 2015. Holy Week commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) +28 Parishioners reenact the journey of Jesus Christ's final hours, in a Good Friday procession, or the Stations of the Cross, in Pirenopolis, Brazil, Friday, April 3, 2015. Christians all over the world attend ceremonies that mark the day Jesus Christ was crucified, commonly known as Good Friday. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) +28 Women burn incense as they take part in a Good Friday procession honoring "The Lord of Miracles", the patron saint of Lima, Peru, Friday, April 3, 2015. Devout Christians in Peru commemorate the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday with processions and reenactments of the Stations of the Cross, or Jesus Christ's final procession to his crucifixion. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) +28 Portraying Jesus Christ, a parishioner reenacts Jesus Christ's final hours, in the traditional Good Friday procession, or Stations of the Cross in Pirenopolis, Brazil, Friday, April 3, 2015. Christians all over the world attend ceremonies that mark the day Jesus Christ was crucified, commonly known as Good Friday. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) +28 A man prays as he balances a stone on his head as a form of penance during a Good Friday pilgrimage to Morne Calvaire Miracle, in Ganthier, Haiti, Friday, April 3, 2015. Thousands of devout Haitians travel to the small town east of Port-au-Prince on Good Friday, hike across the surrounding mountains, visiting the Stations of the Cross, or depictions of Jesus Christ's final journey to his crucifixion at Calvary. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) +28 A parishioner reenacts the steps of Jesus Christ's final hours in a traditional Good Friday procession, or the Stations of the Cross, in Pirenopolis, Brazil, Friday, April 3, 2015. Christians all over the world attend ceremonies that mark the day Jesus Christ was crucified, commonly known as Good Friday. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) +28 Children eat candy cotton as they rest after a Holy Week procession in Antigua, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 1, 2015. La Merced church organized a procession for children who wanted to participate in the annual procession on Good Friday but where to small to do it. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

With Easter Sunday just on the horizon, Christians across American observed Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. 'Way of the Cross' walks took place in Ohio, Pennsylvania and over the Brooklyn Bridge, among others. These were just a few of the events that were taking place all over the world as Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday, nears its end. Tens of thousands of people flocked to Pope Francis' Good Friday torchlight procession at the Colosseum in Rome. The pope used the service to stress the persecution of Christians. On Thursday the pope washed the feet of 12 inmates and a baby at Rome's main prison in a pre-Easter ritual meant to show his willingness to serve. NEW YORK +25 A 'Way of the Cross' procession makes its way from Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan on Good Friday in New York +25 Firefighter John Bartlett holds the cross as the procession reaches Lower Manhattan +25 The Way of the Cross is made up of fourteen stations that are related to the hours of Jesus Christ's life leading up to and after his crucifixion +25 The stations include Jesus carrying the cross, Jesus being nailed to the cross and Jesus being placed in the tomb CALIFORNIA +25 An actor portraying Jesus carries a cross as he leads a religious procession in Los Angeles +25 The actors, which are also portraying Roman soldiers, are reenacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ +25 There is no celebration of Mass on Good Friday, which many people fast on and abstain from meat  +25 Good Friday is observed as a national holiday in a number of countries, including Australia, Brazil, Spain and the United Kingdom +25 Good Friday is not a government holiday in the United States but various states observe it as one, including Connecticut, Louisiana, Texas and New Jersey INDIANA +25 An actor portraying Jesus is lashed by 'the Romans' during a reenactment of the Good Friday story in LaPorte, Indiana +25 During the reenactment, a woman tries to comfort Jesus as he rests for a moment +25 An actor portraying Jesus is raised on his cross during St. Joseph Catholic Church's rendition of the crucifixion PENNSYLVANIA +25 11-year-old T.J. New carries a wooden cross as members of the Forest Hills ministries march between two Methodist churches in Sidman, Pennsylvania +25 Members of Holy Annunciation Church in Hazleton walked for two miles throughout the city to commemorate the Stations of the Cross +25 During the procession women of the parish dressed as the women of Jerusalem and wept as Jesus died +25 +25 At the 12th station, Jesus, portrayed by Luis Arias, is nailed to the cross MISSISSIPPI +25 The crucifixion of Christ is reenacted by members of the Hispanic Ministry of The Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in The Passion of Christ in downtown Jackson +25 Cathedral Rector Fr. Anthony Quyet Nguyen, right, leads parishioners during the reenacting of The Passion of Christ in Smith Park +25 Victor Gomez, assuming the role of Jesus Christ, carries the cross during the reenaction +25 A number of members of the church played roles and dressed up for the reenactment. The group is the largest and oldest Catholic Hispanic ministry in the Jackson Diocese OHIO +25 Reverand Joshua Michaels carries a cross at the start of a Good Friday cross walk in Andover +25 Participants in a Good Friday cross walk along Route 7 in the village of Andover +25 Nicholas Prill, right, and Neftali Ortiz carry a large wooden cross during the Ashtabula Area Ministerium Cross Walk +25 Participants make their way through Ashtabula. Good Friday is followed by Holy Saturday, which commemorates the day that Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb Millions of devout Christians around the world have been commemorating the final days of Jesus Christ by taking part in awe-inspiring and shocking Holy Week celebrations. The festival, which marks the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus culminating in Easter Sunday, has been met with mesmerising religious parades across five continents. In a diverse display of traditions, thousands of penitents have marched through streets in hooded cloaks while others have performed alarming religious self-flagellation in demonstrations of commitment to their faith. In northern Philippines, bare-footed men with bloodied backs lie on roads being beaten with sticks and whips in a divisive tradition thought to stem from 13th century Roman Catholics. Impressive effigies to Jesus Christ were erected in the Philippines, Belarus and in Venezuela - where crowds of penitents, some wearing crowns of thorns, gathered for mass at the Santa Teresa's Basilica in the capital city Caracas. In Spain, the week of celebration has seen thousands of haunting, hooded figures take part in entrancing marches through the streets of Seville in Andalucia and Zamora, in the north-west of the country. In Zamora, in the region of Castile and Leon, penitents from 16 Christian brotherhoods were pictured during an enthralling nighttime procession through the town's streets. Fraternities, wearing robes and conical hoods to maintain anonymity, were also seen beating drums in a spellbinding ceremony in Santander. +41 Alarming display: A man uses a stick to whip a penitent in front of a chapel during a ritual in Angeles city, northern Philippines today +41 Reenactment: Acting the part of Jesus in the final march of his life, a man carries a cross through Manila in the Philippines today +41 Penance: Among a crowd attending a mass at the Santa Teresa's Basilica in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday, a devotee dons a crown of thorns +41 Dramatic: A procession of haunting figures wearing cloaks and conical hats beat drums while marching through Santander in Spain this week +41 Beaten bloody: A flagellant prays by the San Fernando Cathedral in the town of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines yesterday +41 Religious self-harm: A flagellant covered in blood kneels in front of the San Fernando Cathedral in the Philippines yesterday +41 Red flares burn while penitents of the Cristo de Viga brotherhood carrying a float with a cross in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain this week +41 Penitents from 'Las Siete Palabras (Seven words)' brotherhood wait for their turn to leave a church in Zamora, Spain yesterday +41 Shocking display: Filipino flagellants whip their back along a street in Mabalacat city, Pampanga Province, in the Philippines today +41 Tradition: Flagellation is a form of religious discipline observed every lenten season by Catholic devotees in the Philippines +41 Divisive: The Catholic Church has previously expressed disapproval of the gory ritual which takes place in the Philippines every year +41 Contemplation: A group of penitents gather in front of a portrait of Jesus Christ prior to flagellating themselves in Manila today +41 Painful: A man with a hooded face swings a rope attached to chains while flagellating himself in a show of religious commitment in Manila +41 Central America: Children carry a platform holding a small statue of Jesus during a Holy Week procession in Antigua, Guatemala yesterday +41 Performance: Students perform the Stations of the Cross procession as part of the Holy Week celebrations in Luque, Paraguay yesterday +41 Global event: An actor wearing a crown of thorns portrays Jesus during a performance in Luque, Paraguay yesterday +41 Leading commemorations: Pope Francis blesses the Holy Chrism during the Chrism Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican today +41 +41 The Argentine pontiff was pictured during the traditional Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican this morning +41 Dedication: Filipino nuns carry wooden crosses as they make the Stations of the Cross at the Philippine Center of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina +41 Mesmerising: Hundreds of hooded penitents march during the Holy Week procession in Santander, Spain, pictured on Tuesday +41 Holy Week: The ceremonial displays in Santander have also been seen across Spain with notable marches in Sevilla and Zamora +41 Penitents take part in a ceremonial Holy Week display inside a chapel in Arcos de la Frontera, Spain on Tuesday +41 Gathering: Catholic faithful attend a mass held at St. Teresa church during Holy Week celebrations in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday +41 Tribute: An effigy of Jesus on the cross is held up during the Cristo de la Fe parade during a Holy Week procession in Alicante, Spain +41 Members of the Catholic clergy at the Washing of the Feet ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem today +41 Passion of Christ: Belarussian Catholics re-enact some of the final moments of Jesus Christ near a Catholic church in Minsk yesterday +41 Actors yell during a 'Via Crucis' in a free interpretation performance of the catholic tradition at the Carlos Antonio Lopez park in Paraguay +41 A number of male and female actors were pictured during the spectacular display in Carlos Antonio Lopez park in Asuncion, Paraguay +41 Penitents of the Via Crucis Brotherhood carry a sculpture of Jesus Christ during the Holy Monday procession in Cordoba, Andalucia +41 Focused: Filipino flagellants carry a wooden cross on their back along a street in Pampanga Province, north of Manila today +41 A penitent dressed as a Roman soldier takes part in celebrations in Arcos de la Frontera, Spain on Tuesday +41 Penitents take part in the 'Procesion del Silencio' in Zamora, Spain yesterday were thousands gathered to witness a nighttime procession +41 Penitents from 'Cristo de la Buena Muerte' or 'Good Dead Christ' brotherhood take part in a procession in Zamora on Tuesday night +41 A baby sucks a dummy while dressed in a ceremonial Holy Week cloak in in Zamora, Spain earlier this week +41 Members of a religious fraternity don cloaks and conical hats while marching through Zamora in northwest Spain on Tuesday night +41 Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal washes the foot of a priest during the Catholic Washing of the Feet ceremony +41 A figure of Jesus is carried through the streets of Zamora in northwest Spain by penitents from Cristo de la Buena Muerte brotherhood +41 While the marches may appear sinister, they are a stunning celebration of emotion as brothers make their way to cathedrals in Zamora +41 Each confradia (or religious brotherhood) is represented by different coloured robes and masks, designed to protect anonymity +41 Visitors and locals watch from balconies as the procession weaves its way through the cobblestone streets in Zamora