24 hours in pictures

Bethlehem, West Bank: An Orthodox priest hears the confession of a nun inside the Church of the Nativity during Orthodox Christmas celebrations Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

Graz, Austria: Russian state ballet dancers perfom in Swan Lake Photograph: Mathias Kniepeiss/Getty

Bihar, India: Beggars stretch out their bowls and ask for alms from Buddhist devotees visiting the Mahabodhi temple Photograph: Altaf Qadri/AP

California, USA: A surfer rides his last wave in to shore as the sun sets into an incoming layer of fog Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

Kolkata, India: A sadhu or Hindu ascetic smokes a bidi, a local cigarette hand-rolled with leaf tobacco Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters

Bihar, India: A young Buddhist monk sits in a niche made in a wall in the compound of the Mahabodhi temple Photograph: Altaf Qadri/AP

New York, USA: Children are dressed as kings in the Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty

Colombo, Sri Lanka: Dancers twist their fire balls deftly to make patterns in the air against the backdrop of the main dagoba at the historic Kelaniya temple during a Buddhist religious ritual Photograph: M A Pushpa Kumara/EPA

Allahabad, India: Devotees cross a newly constructed temporary bridge made for the Magh Mela festival on the Ganges Photograph: AFP

Manila, Philippines: Young Filipino devotees carry a replica of a centuries-old black statue of Jesus Christ, known as the Black Nazarene Photograph: Aaron Favila/AP

Vatican City, Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI attends the Epiphany Mass at St Peter's Photograph: Franco Origlia/Getty

Beijing, China: A man and woman kiss outside the Forbidden City Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP