Holy Week celebrations Children place a candle beneath a shrine on the hill leading up to Laferla Cross outside the village of Siggiewi, s...

Holy Week celebrations

Children place a candle beneath a shrine on the hill leading up to Laferla Cross outside the village of Siggiewi, southwest of Valletta, April 5, 2012. Every year on Maundy Thursday, thousands of religious devotees on the staunchly Catholic island make their way up the hill, the highest point on the Maltese islands, on a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) pilgrimage. Several Easter processions take place around Malta between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday, drawing thousands of visitors. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi (MALTA - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)

People pray on the hill leading up to Laferla Cross outside the village of Siggiewi, southwest of Valletta, April 5, 2012. Every year on Maundy Thursday, thousands of religious devotees on the staunchly Catholic island make their way up the hill, the highest point on the Maltese islands, on a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) pilgrimage. Several Easter processions take place around Malta between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday, drawing thousands of visitors. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi (MALTA - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)

People watch the image of Christ of "Los Gitanos" (Gypsies) brotherhood during a Holy Week procession in Granada, southern Spain, early April 5, 2012. Hundreds of processions take place around the clock in Spain during Holy Week, drawing thousands of visitors. REUTERS/Pepe Marin (SPAIN - Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION)

Spanish legionnaires carry a statue of the Christ of Mena inside a church during a ceremony before they take part in Mena brotherhood procession during the Holy Week in Malaga, southern Spain, April 5, 2012. Hundreds of Easter processions take place round-the-clock during the Holy Week in Spain, drawing thousands of visitors. REUTERS/Jon Nazca (SPAIN - Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION)

Penitents take part in a Holy Thursday procession at Palma de Mallorca, on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca, April 5, 2012. Hundreds of processions take place around the clock in Spain during Holy Week, drawing thousands of visitors. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo (SPAIN - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)

A penitent wearing a mask made of plastic straws joins others with costumes depicting Roman Centurions during a Lenten annual ritual in the town of Mogpog on Marinduque island April 4, 2012. The penitence, locally known as "Moriones", is an annual ritual in the predominantly Roman Catholic country for residents to remember the suffering of Jesus Christ during Lent. REUTERS/Erik De Castro (PHILIPPINES - Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION)

Penitents wearing masks and colourful costumes that depict Roman Centurions take part in a Lenten annual ritual in the town of Mogpog on Marinduque island April 4, 2012. The penitence, locally known as "Moriones", is an annual ritual in the predominantly Roman Catholic country for residents to remember the suffering of Jesus Christ during Lent. REUTERS/Erik De Castro (PHILIPPINES - Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION)

Christians mark Holy Week in preparation for the upcoming Easter celebration.