A historian of astronomy writes about the role of astronomical events in Indigenous cultures − and also the exploitation of their sacred traditions in present times.
The anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. flag is celebrated each year on June 14.
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On Flag Day, a historian of religions in America explains how the Pledge of Allegiance, which honors the American flag, is part of American civil religion.
Rites of passage, such as graduation ceremonies, celebrate the transition to a new state.
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Rites of passage are important. They do not merely celebrate the transition to a new state – they actively create this new state in the eyes of society, an anthropologist writes.
A relief showing a Gallus making sacrifices to the goddess Cybele and Attis.
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Tina Chronopoulos, Binghamton University, State University of New York
In ancient Rome, male followers of the goddess Cybele, known as Galli, some of whom surgically removed their testicles, were often considered feminine.
Palestinians gather at the area where aid was distributed in Gaza City on Feb. 19, 2024.
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Ramadan encourages acts of charity. This also poses a question for many Muslims as they consider what more could be done to feed the hungriest in the world, many of whom are in Gaza.
The Moon over a minaret of the grand Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan.
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Two scholars who study death rituals explain that the corpse is considered spiritually polluting in many religious traditions, while the Moon holds a sacred place.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center left, performs rituals during the opening of the temple dedicated to Lord Ram in Ayodhya, India, on Jan. 22, 2024.
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A scholar of Hinduism explains the importance of the consecration ritual, which is believed to bring the presence of the divine into the temple.
Daoism, which emphasizes harmony with nature, can inform individuals on their relationship with the environment.
Ma Yuan 'Walking on Path in Spring.' National Palace Museum via Wikimedia Commons
Through the power of rituals, inanimate objects can be understood to transform into agents who can see, hear, taste and respond to the concerns of those who worship them.
Xhosa boys undergoing ulwaluko, one of three rituals covered in the study.
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The philosophy of ubuntu means that good health is for everybody and disability is not regarded as a difference.
Hindu devotees prepare to scatter ashes of the deceased into the sea as part of Ngaben, a mass cremation ceremony, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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Across cultures, death rituals give mourners a chance to grieve. But they also offer one last opportunity to help the deceased as they transition to the next stage of existence.
Children trick or treat and wear Halloween costumes for a full week during Day of the Dead season in Mexico.
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Halloween’s influence is transforming popular festivities around Día de los Muertos and its ceremonial customs in rural and urban areas of Mexico in some fascinating ways.
An ayahuasca ceremony at a Hummingbird Church in Hildale, Utah, in 2022.
AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski
A scholar who studies alternative expressions of spirituality visited secular, atheist and psychedelic churches and interacted with attendees. Here is what he found.
A bison restoration project in Oklahoma on lands of the Cherokee Nation, one of the largest Native American tribes.
AP Photo/Audrey Jackson
Efforts are being made to develop the capacity of Native tribes to manage bison and bison habitats. An Indigenous scholar explains their sacred significance.
Each year, services on St. Francis’ feast day draw humans and animals alike to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.
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