A man with his own blood dripping over his torso makes guttural noises, before placing his hands on a pilgrim to cleanse him. The bloodied entity embodies the spirit of a Viking, and is believed to ...

CHIVACOA, Venezuela (AP) — Every year, thousands trek to a mountainside in Venezuela for rituals played out with fire, blood and smoke to pay tribute to the indigenous goddess Maria Lionza, who is ...

Thousands of Venezuelans congregated for candlelit rituals on a remote mountainside where adherents make an annual pilgrimage to pay homage to an indigenous goddess known as Maria Lionza. Many smoked ...

When opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez succeeded on 3 June in triggering a recall vote on his rule, many saw it as a sign of trouble for the controversial leader. But for some, the real ...

Folk religions such as Santeria and the cult of Maria Lionza are growing in popularity in Venezuela. This rise of Santeria can be put down to an influx of Cubans. Former President Hugo Chavez provided ...

Thousands of Venezuelans congregated for candlelit rituals on a remote mountainside where adherents make an annual pilgrimage to pay homage to an indigenous goddess known as Maria Lionza. Many smoked ...

Thousands trek to Sorte Mountain each year to perform fiery rituals in tribute to the goddess Followers play drums during a procession on Sorte Mountain. The annual gathering in honour indigenous ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. In this photo taken Oct. 11, 2019, a woman surrounded by candles and designs drawn on the ground with white powder lies with her ...