Grand ceremony held to mark 1054th anniversary of Goddess Mazu's birth (1/8)

Over tens of thousands of followers gather at Meizhou of Fujian province to mark the 1054th anniversary of Goddess Mazu's birth on April 22, also the 23rd day of the third month according to Chinese lunar calendar. Mazu is the Chinese goddess of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors. She is widely worshiped in the southeastern coastal regions of China, especially in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan. [Photo: China News Service / Zhang Bin]