Felipe Luther, 37, a scholarship student at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio (PUC-Rio) who also works as a street-sweeper, buries offerings during an Umbanda ceremony in a terreiro in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, February 9, 2021. Twice a week, Luther visits a local "terreiro" to practice Umbanda, a religion with origins in West African spiritual traditions. Dressed in all-white clothing with beaded necklaces hanging over his chest, Luther participates in dances, songs and rituals with fellow believers. "It connects me with my ancestry," he said. Popularized in Rio in the 1930s, Umbanda, like fellow Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble, has roots in the transatlantic slave trade, which brought as many as 5 million enslaved people from Africa to Brazil ? 10 times the number brought to the United States. Those who sought to practice their rituals free from the harassment by Europeans would blend their native traditions with elements of Catholicism, creating syncretic religions now practiced by over half a million people in the country. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares SEARCH "BLM OLIVARES" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Felipe Luther, 37, a scholarship student at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio (PUC-Rio) who also works as a street-sweeper, takes part in an Umbanda ceremony in a terreiro in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, February 9, 2021. Twice a week, Luther visits a local "terreiro" to practice Umbanda, a religion with origins in West African spiritual traditions. Dressed in all-white clothing with beaded necklaces hanging over his chest, Luther participates in dances, songs and rituals with fellow believers. "It connects me with my ancestry," he said. Popularized in Rio in the 1930s, Umbanda, like fellow Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble, has roots in the transatlantic slave trade, which brought as many as 5 million enslaved people from Africa to Brazil ? 10 times the number brought to the United States. Those who sought to practice their rituals free from the harassment by Europeans would blend their native traditions with elements of Catholicism, creating syncretic religions now practiced by over half a million people in the country. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares SEARCH "BLM OLIVARES" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Felipe Luther, 37, a scholarship student at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio (PUC-Rio) who also works as a street-sweeper, takes part in an Umbanda ceremony in a terreiro in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, February 9, 2021. Twice a week, Luther visits a local "terreiro" to practice Umbanda, a religion with origins in West African spiritual traditions. Dressed in all-white clothing with beaded necklaces hanging over his chest, Luther participates in dances, songs and rituals with fellow believers. "It connects me with my ancestry," he said. Popularized in Rio in the 1930s, Umbanda, like fellow Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble, has roots in the transatlantic slave trade, which brought as many as 5 million enslaved people from Africa to Brazil ? 10 times the number brought to the United States. Those who sought to practice their rituals free from the harassment by Europeans would blend their native traditions with elements of Catholicism, creating syncretic religions now practiced by over half a million people in the country. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares SEARCH "BLM OLIVARES" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

A believer prays inside St. Marko's church on the day that Serbian Orthodox church celebrate Good Friday amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia, April 17, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica 

General view inside in the church for the 'Scouse in the House' weekly session where they offer free food for vulnerable members of the local community at Christ Church in Anfield, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, Liverpool, Britain, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Carl Recine 

Faithful attend a Holy Communion in St. Afra church during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Berlin, Germany April 5, 2020. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi 

Faithful attend a Holy Communion in St. Afra church during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Berlin, Germany April 5, 2020. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi 

Faithful attend a Holy Communion in St. Afra church during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Berlin, Germany April 5, 2020. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi 

A man prays on his knees in front of a wooden cross during a church service marking Palm Sunday, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in the town of Oshmyany, Belarus April 5, 2020. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko 

A Catholic devotee prays outside Quiapo Church, that has been closed to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manila, Philippines, March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez 

General view of Santa Cristina church is pictured after the government decree to close cinemas, schools and urge people to work from home and not stand closer than one metre to each other, in Turin, Italy, March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca 

General view of empty Duomo after Italy's bishops ordered that Masses not be held during the week in churches in areas of the north of the country affected by the coronavirus outbreak, in Milan, Italy, March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane 

A female statue is covered with a purple blanket in protest against gender violence, at the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Mexico City, Mexico March 3, 2020. Although it is common for Catholic churches to cover sacred images in purple for the period of lent, the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian took it further by only covering their female figures. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION 

A female statue is covered with purple cloth in protest against gender violence, at the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Mexico City, Mexico March 3, 2020. Although it is common for Catholic churches to cover sacred images in purple for the period of lent, the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian took it further by only covering their female figures. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION 

A female statue is covered with a purple blanket in protest against gender violence, at the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Mexico City, Mexico March 3, 2020. Although it is common for Catholic churches to cover sacred images in purple for the period of lent, the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian took it further by only covering their female figures. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION 

The empty cloister of the Sant'Ambrogio Basilica is pictured in Milan, Italy, March 1, 2020. In accordance with Italian authorities, dioceses decided to suspend masses in order to prevent the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. REUTERS/Yara Nardi 

Flowers lay at a memorial stone for the victims of the bomb attacks at the end of WW2 in Dresden, Germany, February 13, 2020. REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel 

General view of the old town district with Frauenkirche, Church of Our Lady, center, which was destroyed by bombing attacks at the end of WW2, in Dresden, Germany, February 12, 2020. REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel 

A Catholic church is pictured as a fire burns a tract of Amazon jungle being cleared by loggers and farmers near Porto Velho, Brazil August 27, 2019. Picture taken August 27, 2019. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes 

A Catholic church is pictured as a fire burns a tract of Amazon jungle being cleared by loggers and farmers near Porto Velho, Brazil August 27, 2019. Picture taken August 27, 2019. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes 

A Catholic church is pictured as a fire burns a tract of Amazon jungle being cleared by loggers and farmers near Porto Velho, Brazil August 27, 2019. Picture taken August 27, 2019. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes 

A religious statuette stands outside of St Joseph catholic church in West Liberty, Iowa, United States, January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado SEARCH "IOWA LATINOS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A dog looks on as it receives a blessing from a priest on the day of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of domestic animals, in Xochimilco in Mexico City, Mexico January 17, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso 

Dogs wait to be blessed on the day of Spain's patron saint of animals, Saint Anthony, outside San Anton Church in Madrid, Spain, January 17, 2020.REUTERS/Susana Vera 

A bunny is held by its owner during celebrations on the day of Spain's patron saint of animals, Saint Anthony, outside San Anton Church in Madrid, Spain, January 17, 2020.REUTERS/Susana Vera 

A dog waits to be blessed on the day of Spain's patron saint of animals, Saint Anthony, outside San Anton Church in Madrid, Spain, January 17, 2020.REUTERS/Susana Vera 

Statues on top the Bernini's colonnade and Saint Peter's Basilica are seen at sunset in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane 

Statues on top the Bernini's colonnade and Saint Peter's Basilica are seen at sunset in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane 

A woman walks during sunset in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane 

A police officer stands guard as Catholic pilgrims arrive to attend a mass at John the Baptist Church, near the baptism site along the Jordan River, Jordan January 10, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A Honduran boy shows his rosary at the airport after his family gave up their U.S. asylum claim and voluntarily return to Honduras, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez 

Catholics from Belarus and neighbouring countries carry candles during the annual Icon of the Mother of God procession, part of the Budslav Fest, which is listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Belarus, in the village of Budslav, Belarus July 5, 2019. Picture taken with long exposure on July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko 

Catholics from Belarus and neighbouring countries carry candles during the annual Icon of the Mother of God procession, part of the Budslav Fest, which is listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Belarus, in the village of Budslav, Belarus July 5, 2019. Picture taken with long exposure on July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Priests attend a vigil led by Pope Francis ahead of Pentecost Sunday at the Vatican, June 8, 2019. Picture taken with zoom burst. REUTERS/Remo Casilli 

A rosary is pictured at St. Anthony's Shrine, days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, in Colombo, Sri Lanka April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 

An Orthodox Christian worshipper takes part in the Good Friday services in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City April 26, 2019 REUTERS/ Corinna Kern TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A woman holds a rosary as silence is observed as a tribute to victims, two days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, during a memorial service in Colombo April 23, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte 

A Christian worshipper attends Easter Sunday Mass in Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulcher Church April 21, 2019 REUTERS/ Amir Cohen 

A penitent carries a rosary during the procession of "La Soledad" brotherhood during Holy Week in Madrid, Spain, April 20, 2019. REUTERS/Susana Vera 

Spanish Civil Guard officers and "costaleros" (penitents who carry floats bearing the statue of Christ or the Virgin) march during the procession of "La Soledad" brotherhood during Holy Week in Madrid, Spain, April 20, 2019. REUTERS/Susana Vera 

A worshipper takes part in Good Friday procession in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City April 19, 2019. REUTERS/Corinna Kern 

A priest holds a cross after a mass on Christmas at St George Chaldean Catholic Church in Baghdad, Iraq December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

A surveillance camera is seen in front of Xishiku Cathedral, also known as the North Cathedral, on Christmas Eve in Beijing, China December 24, 2018. Picture taken December 24, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee 

A member of the church stands at the front door with a flag during a Christmas eve mass at Virgin Mary Cathedral in Nasr City, a suburb of Cairo, Egypt December 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh 

An Egyptian Catholic woman lights candle during a mass on Christmas eve at Virgin Mary Cathedral in Nasr City, a suburb of Cairo, Egypt December 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh 

An Iraqi Christian woman prays during Mass at St George Chaldean Catholic Church in Baghdad, Iraq December 23, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

An Iraqi Christian prays during Mass at St George Chaldean Catholic Church in Baghdad, Iraq December 23, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

A member of Mexican police holds rosaries as she attends a special mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Max Rossi 

General view of the Berlin Cathedral in Berlin, Germany, August 7, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch SEARCH "GERMANY DARWISH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A man holds a religious locket displayed at a stall in a Christian neighbourhood in Islamabad, Pakistan December 4, 2018. PREUTERS/Faisal Mahmood 

Salisbury Cathedral celebrates the beginning of Advent with a candle-lit service and procession, "From Darkness to Light" in Salisbury, Britain, November 30, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A woman prays at Sao Francisco de Assis (Saint Francis of Assis) Church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Nacho Doce 

A woman prays at Sao Francisco de Assis (Saint Francis of Assis) Church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Nacho Doce 

A woman prays as she holds her dog after getting it blessed by a priest at Sao Francisco de Assis (Saint Francis of Assisi) Church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 4, 2018. Pet owners bring their animals to be blessed every year on the day of Sao Francisco de Assis, Brazil's patron saint of animals. REUTERS/Nacho Doce 

A believer reads the bible during mass at St. Joseph's Church, a government-sanctioned Catholic church, in Beijing, China, October 1, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 

A believer reads the bible during mass at St. Joseph's Church, a government-sanctioned Catholic church, in Beijing, China, October 1, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 

Buntings flutter in the yard of a Catholic underground church near the village of Huangtugang, Hebei province, China, September 30, 2018. Picture taken September 30, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 

St. Lucy's St. Patrick's Catholic church, which was involved in a record setting sexual abuse settlement of $27.5 million, is seen in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., September 19, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton