Earth's Sacred Wonders

NARRATOR: MANY OF THE WORLD'S BEST-KNOWN LANDMARKS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY FAITH.

AND TODAY, MORE WORSHIPPERS THAN EVER ARE FLOCKING TO THESE SACRED PLACES.

BUT WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO PROVOKE SUCH PASSION?

[PEOPLE SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] HUNDREDS OF YEARS AFTER THEY WERE FIRST BUILT, MANY OF THEM REMAIN PLACES OF DEEP SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CONTROVERSY.

FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY ARE SANCTUARIES FOR QUIET CONTEMPLATION.

FOR OTHERS... [BELL RINGS] THEY ARE SITES OF ASTONISHING ACTS OF WORSHIP, DANGEROUS CHALLENGES, AND EXTRAORDINARY DEEDS OF DEVOTION RARELY SEEN BY OUTSIDERS.

THIS TIME... AT ANGKOR IN CAMBODIA... A MAN WHO BELIEVES THESE TEMPLES ARE HOME TO HIS ANCESTRAL SPIRITS RISKS HIS LIFE TO SAVE THEM FROM THE JUNGLE.

AT AL AQSA IN JERUSALEM, A YOUNG MUSLIM PARAMEDIC BATTLES HIS OWN HUNGER AND EXHAUSTION.

TO HELP THOUSANDS OF OTHER FASTING WORSHIPPERS DURING RAMADAN.

AND AT THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE IN CHINA, A BUDDHIST MONK FACES A TEST THAT WILL CHANGE THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE FOREVER.

IN THIS SERIES, WE REVEAL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO FOR THEIR FAITH...

IN SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SACRED PLACES ON EARTH.

NARRATOR: THE LARGEST RELIGIOUS SITE ON THE PLANET IS IN CAMBODIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA.

ANGKOR.

A VAST COMPLEX OF OVER 70 TEMPLES, ONCE PART OF AN ANCIENT MEGACITY.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN THE NINTH CENTURY BY A POWERFUL HINDU KING AND IS THOUGHT TO HAVE ONCE COVERED AN AREA WIDER THAN SAN FRANCISCO.

AND AT ITS HEART, THE BIGGEST TEMPLE OF ALL: ANGKOR WAT.

BUILT TO HONOR THE HINDU GOD VISHNU.

ITS 5 TOWERS REPRESENT THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS BELIEVED TO BE THE HOME OF THE GODS.

BUT IN THE 12TH CENTURY, BUDDHISM BECAME CAMBODIA'S DOMINANT RELIGION, AND ANGKOR BECAME A CENTER OF BUDDHIST WORSHIP.

NOWADAYS, DEVOTEES ARE FAR OUTNUMBERED BY TOURISTS.

THEY BRING OVER $100 MILLION INTO THE CAMBODIAN ECONOMY EVERY YEAR.

[CHANTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] BUT THE TEMPLES ARE AT RISK.

500 YEARS AGO, THE ANCIENT CITY WAS SLOWLY ABANDONED, AND WAS EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY THE JUNGLE.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: TODAY, A TEAM OF GARDENERS WAGES A CONSTANT BATTLE TO STOP NATURE FROM TAKING OVER AGAIN.

ONE OF THEM IS LOUN LORNG.

HE'S A BUDDHIST, BUT HE ALSO BELIEVES HIS ANCESTORS' SPIRITS RESIDE HERE.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: TOMORROW, LORNG AND HIS TEAM OF GARDENERS FACE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR.

SAPLINGS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED 200 FEET UP ON THE GREAT TOWERS OF ANGKOR WAT.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: LEFT TO GROW, THEIR ROOTS WOULD EVENTUALLY BRING THE TOWERS DOWN.

LORNG AND HIS TEAM MUST CLIMB TO THE VERY TOP TO CLEAR THEM.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: LORNG FEARS THAT IF THE TEMPLES ARE LEFT TO COLLAPSE, THE SPIRITS OF ANGKOR WILL BE UNHAPPY AND WILL LEAVE FOREVER.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: LORNG IS AN EXPERT CLIMBER.

FOR DECADES, HE HAS SCALED PALM TREES TO HARVEST THEIR SAP.

BUT NOW WITH OVER 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A TEMPLE GARDENER, HE KNOWS JUST HOW DANGEROUS THE TOWERS OF ANGKOR WAT WILL BE.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: 5 A.M.

WHILE THE FIRST TOURISTS GET READY TO CATCH THE ICONIC SUNRISE OVER ANGKOR WAT... LORNG AND HIS TEAM ARE PREPARING FOR THE CLIMB.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THERE IS NEW GROWTH ALL THE WAY UP THE TOWERS...

BUT IT'S THE SAPLINGS AT THE VERY TOP WHICH WILL BE PARTICULARLY HARD TO REACH.

AND LORNG'S NOT AS FIT AS HE WAS.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HE WILL CLIMB AS FAR AS HE CAN.

THEN, UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, HIS APPRENTICE CHERM TRI WILL MAKE THE FINAL ASCENT.

[CHERM SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: LORNG LEADS THE WAY.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD STONEWORK IS VERY FRAGILE.

SO, THE TEAM CAN'T FIX ANY SAFETY ROPES TO IT.

THEY MUST CLIMB BAREFOOT WITH LITTLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN HARD HATS.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: JUST LAST YEAR, A MEMBER OF LORNG'S TEAM FELL AND WAS BADLY INJURED.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THEY'VE REACHED A SECTION WHERE THE LADDERS AREN'T LONG ENOUGH.

SO, THEY HAVE TO TIE TWO TOGETHER.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: LORNG HAS GOTTEN AS HIGH AS HE CAN GO.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: NOW HIS APPRENTICE TRI TAKES OVER.

THE GAP IN THE STONEWORK HERE IS TOO NARROW FOR A METAL LADDER.

HE'LL HAVE TO USE A BAMBOO POLE AND PULL THE LADDER UP AFTER HIM.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S HOT AND HUMID...

THE RUNGS OF THE LADDER ARE SLIPPERY WITH SWEAT.

[GROANING] FINALLY, TRI HAS REACHED THE PROBLEM PLANTS.

THE SUN'S HIGH, AND THE STONEWORK IS NOW BURNING HOT UNDERFOOT.

AT 200 FEET UP, A SLIP WOULD BE FATAL.

BUT TRI HAS SPOTTED ONE LAST SAPLING RIGHT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE TOWER.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: WITH ONE SNIP...

THE JOB IS COMPLETE.

ANGKOR WAT IS SAFE FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

[LORNG SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: ATTRACTING OVER TWO MILLION VISITORS A YEAR, ANGKOR WAT HAS BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO CAMBODIA'S SENSE OF IDENTITY, IT'S EVEN ON THE COUNTRY'S FLAG.

EUROPE'S SACRED WONDERS ARE ALSO AMONG ITS MOST RECOGNIZABLE AND POPULAR LANDMARKS.

ST. MARK'S BASILICA IN VENICE ATTRACTS OVER 5 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR, DESPITE BEING UNDER CONSTANT THREAT FROM FLOODING.

AND ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST VISITED CATHEDRALS UNTIL 2018 WAS NOTRE DAME IN PARIS.

OVER 12 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR PASSED THROUGH ITS DOORS... BEFORE THIS FRENCH ICON WAS DEVASTATED BY FIRE, BRINGING PARIS TO A STANDSTILL.

BUT IN SOUTHERN SPAIN, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME TO SEE ONE SACRED WONDER THAT SPENDS MOST OF THE YEAR OUT OF SIGHT.

HIDDEN AWAY BEHIND THIS UNREMARKABLE FACADE... IS THE VIRGEN DE LA ESPERANZA.

THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

A STATUE OF THE VIRGIN MARY, CARVED IN THE 17TH CENTURY, ON A GILDED WOODEN THRONE.

SURROUNDED BY NEARLY 200 CANDLES, SHE WEARS A TUNIC STITCHED WITH REAL GOLD THREAD.

BUT WHAT MAKES THIS WONDER UNUSUAL IS THAT THE FAITHFUL DON'T COME TO HER.

SHE GOES TO THEM.

OVER EASTER, SHE WILL BE PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS OF MALAGA IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS, ON THE SHOULDERS OF A TEAM OF MEN.

FOR MANY OF THESE THRONE BEARERS, THE ENTIRE YEAR REVOLVES AROUND THIS EVENT.

ONE OF THEM IS CATHOLIC JAVIER HERNANDEZ MARTIN.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THIS WILL BE THE 16TH YEAR RUNNING THAT JAVIER HAS HELPED CARRY THE ESPERANZA THRONE.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: JAVIER APPLIED TO JOIN THE ALL-MALE TEAM OF THRONE BEARERS AFTER SENSING A CALLING FROM THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: ON THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER, JAVIER AND HIS BROTHERHOOD WILL JOIN THRONE PROCESSIONS TAKING PLACE ACROSS SPAIN.

THE ESPERANZA IS ONE OF THE HEAVIEST.

IT WEIGHS 11,000 POUNDS-- ALMOST AS MUCH AS 3 FAMILY CARS.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] JAVIER'S BROTHERHOOD WILL CARRY IT FOR OVER 6 HOURS.

BUT IT'S SO SACRED, TODAY IS THEIR ONLY REHEARSAL.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: TO SPREAD THE WEIGHT EVENLY, EVERYONE IS ALLOCATED A POSITION ACCORDING TO THEIR HEIGHT.

MAN: THIS ONE.

SECOND MAN: PERFECT.

NARRATOR: JAVIER HAS ONE OF THE MOST DEMANDING POSTS.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: A FRONT CORNER.

WHENEVER THE FLOAT TURNS LEFT, HE WILL ACT AS THE PIVOT FOR THE ENTIRE 264-STRONG TEAM.

FINALLY, THEY ARE READY FOR THEIR FIRST LIFT.

[BELL RINGS] [MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: COORDINATED BY A BELL AND SHOUTED COMMANDS... [MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: EVERY MOVEMENT MUST BE IN COMPLETE UNISON.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE 1 1/2-MILE-LONG PARADE WILL BE A BRUTAL TEST OF STRENGTH...AND FAITH.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THRONE BEARERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO COLLAPSE DURING THE ORDEAL.

[BELL RINGING] [MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: AFTER AN HOUR, THE PRACTICE IS OVER.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NEXT TIME JAVIER PICKS UP THE THRONE, IT WILL BE ON THE BIG DAY.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S PARADE DAY.

BUT THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

IT'S BEEN RAINING ON AND OFF FOR 9 HOURS.

THE RAIN WOULD RUIN THE PRICELESS ESPERANZA THRONE.

THEY'RE DUE TO SET OFF IN 30 MINUTES.

BUT THE PARADE MAY BE CALLED OFF.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: AN EMERGENCY MEETING IS HELD TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.

ALL JAVIER CAN DO IS WAIT.

[KISSING] HIS SISTER ARRIVES WITH HER NEW BABY.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: JAVIER AND HIS WIFE DON'T HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IF THE PROCESSION GOES AHEAD, HE WILL DEDICATE TONIGHT'S EFFORT TO HIS NEWBORN NIECE.

FINALLY, WORD COMES THROUGH.

[BELL RINGING] [APPLAUSE] THE PROCESSION IS ON.

LET THE PAIN BEGIN.

EACH MAN HAS THE WEIGHT OF A SACK OF CEMENT PRESSING DOWN ON HIS SHOULDER.

IT WILL BE 6 HOURS BEFORE THEY RETURN.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THRONE PARADES BEGAN IN THE 16TH CENTURY TO STRENGTHEN CATHOLICISM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TODAY, RELIGION IN SPAIN IS ON THE WANE.

BUT FOR JAVIER, IT'S A UNIQUE CHANCE TO ATONE FOR HIS SINS.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE LENGTH OF THE ROUTE IS NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE.

SOME OF THE STREETS ARE BARELY WIDE ENOUGH FOR THE THRONE TO PASS.

BUT IT'S IN THESE NARROW ALLEYS THAT WORSHIPPERS CAN GET CLOSEST TO THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BROTHERHOOD MARCH WITH THEIR FACES COVERED, AS THEIR PENANCE.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THEY'RE NOW 3 HOURS IN.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: MANY ARE IN INTENSE PAIN.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: ALONG THE WAY, BELIEVERS URGE THEM ON.

[WOMAN SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] AHH!

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S ALMOST 4 IN THE MORNING AND NOW THEY'VE GOT TO PERFORM THE MOST DIFFICULT MANEUVER OF THE NIGHT-- THE ONE JAVIER HAS BEEN DREADING-- A 90-DEGREE LEFT TURN IN THE NARROW STREETS.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] ARRIBA, ARRIBA, ARRIBA, ARRIBA, ARRIBA, ARRIBA.

NARRATOR: AS THE THRONE SWINGS AROUND, JAVIER IS THE PIVOT OF THE ENTIRE MOVE.

THE PRESSURE IS COLOSSAL.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: BUT HE MUST HOLD HIS POSITION OR THE THRONE COULD GET WEDGED.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [BELL RINGS] NARRATOR: THEY'VE ROUNDED THE CORNER.

AND AFTER 6 LONG HOURS...

THEY'RE BACK.

MAN: ARRRRRRRIBA.

NARRATOR: IT'S OVER.

JAVIER HAS COMPLETED HIS PENANCE FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

[JAVIER SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [APPLAUSE] NARRATOR: THERE ARE SOME SACRED WONDERS THAT ARE FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER...

WHETHER IT'S THE 120-FOOT-HIGH STATUE OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER, KEEPING WATCH OVER RIO IN BRAZIL SINCE 1931, OR THE SACRED ABORIGINAL SITE OF ULURU TOWERING 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT.

BUT THERE'S ONE ANCIENT WONDER IN CHINA THAT ONLY BECAME WORLD FAMOUS IN THE 1970s-- THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE...

BUILT ON THE SLOPES OF SACRED SOONG MOUNTAIN IN CENTRAL CHINA.

A BUDDHIST MONASTERY HAS STOOD HERE SINCE THE FIFTH CENTURY.

BUT THE REASON TOURISTS FLOCK HERE EVERY DAY...

ISN'T JUST THE ORNATE THOUSAND BUDDHA HALL... OR THE TOMBS OF GREAT BUDDHIST MASTERS AT THE PAGODA FOREST.

THEY COME FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

[MEN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] KUNG FU.

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE BECAME WORLD FAMOUS AS THE HOME OF KUNG FU AFTER BEING DISCOVERED BY HOLLYWOOD 50 YEARS AGO.

[CLANG] BUT FOR CENTURIES, IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CENTERS OF BUDDHISM IN CHINA.

[MEN CHANTING] 400 MONKS LIVE AND STUDY HERE.

100 OF THOSE ARE WARRIOR MONKS.

[MEN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] FOR THESE STUDENT MONKS, KUNG FU IS NOT JUST A MARTIAL ART, IT'S A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: A FORM OF MOVING MEDITATION.

IN TWO DAYS, SHI YANDIAN WILL FACE A TEST TO QUALIFY AS A FULL WARRIOR MONK.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: MASTERING KUNG FU TO THE LEVEL EXPECTED AT THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE TAKES YEARS OF DEDICATION.

[YANDIAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: YANDIAN WILL HAVE TO PROVE HIMSELF BEFORE A PANEL OF SENIOR MONKS IN BOTH KUNG FU AND BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE.

[SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] IF HE FAILS THIS SCRIPTURE TEST, HE'LL HAVE TO WAIT 3 YEARS TO TRY AGAIN.

[SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY] SENIOR MONK YANCEN IS YANDIAN'S MENTOR.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S BELIEVED SHAOLIN KUNG FU BEGAN AS A WAY FOR THE EARLY CHINESE MONKS TO STAY FIT AND ALERT DESPITE HOURS OF SEATED MEDITATION.

IN THE PAST, SHAOLIN WARRIOR MONKS USED THEIR SKILLS TO PROTECT THEIR MONASTERIES AND VILLAGES.

[SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] BUT TODAY, ITS PERFECTION IS A MARK OF FAITH.

[YANDIAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: EACH MONK CHOOSES A SPECIALTY.

[SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY] YANDIAN'S IS THE "MONKEY STICK."

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: YANDIAN HAS BEEN PRACTICING WITH THE MONKEY STICK FOR 11 YEARS.

BUT THERE'S ONE MOVE HE STRUGGLES WITH: "MONKEY GOING UP THE TREE"-- ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT IN ALL KUNG FU.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: YANDIAN MUST PLACE BOTH FEET ON THE STICK, LET GO WITH HIS HANDS, AND CATCH THE STICK BEFORE IT HITS THE GROUND.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: STRENGTH, BALANCE, AND TOTAL CONCENTRATION ARE ESSENTIAL.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: AT HIS ASSESSMENT IN TWO DAYS' TIME, HE WILL NEED TO PERFORM THIS ROUTINE PERFECTLY.

BUT YANDIAN WILL NOT JUST BE TESTED ON HIS KUNG FU THIS WEEK.

HE MUST ALSO RECITE A PASSAGE OF BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE... FROM MEMORY.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE EXAMINERS COULD CHOOSE ANY PASSAGE FROM THIS BOOK OF MANTRAS.

SO, YANDIAN NEEDS TO LEARN ALL 200 PAGES...BY HEART.

[YANDIAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S JUDGMENT DAY.

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST IMPORTANT EXAMINATION CENTERS FOR ASPIRING MONKS.

APPRENTICES ARE ARRIVING FROM ALL OVER CHINA, ALL HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE THE YEAR THEY QUALIFY.

[YANDIAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: FIRST: YANDIAN'S KUNG FU ASSESSMENT.

THE ABBOT--HEAD OF THE TEMPLE-- AND 3 SENIOR MONKS WILL BE HIS JUDGES.

YANCEN CAN ONLY WATCH FROM THE SIDELINES.

11 YEARS OF GRUELING TRAINING HAVE COME TO THIS MOMENT.

[SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY] NARRATOR: HIS EXAMINERS HAVE THE VERY HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS.

MOVEMENT MUST BE MATCHED BY STILLNESS.

SO FAR, SO GOOD.

[SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY] BUT NEXT--THE TECHNIQUE YANDIAN FEARS THE MOST... MONKEY GOING UP THE TREE.

FLAWLESS.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: YANDIAN'S EXCELLED AT HIS KUNG FU...

BUT HIS SUCCESS WILL COUNT FOR NOTHING IF HE NOW FAILS THE SCRIPTURE TEST.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] THE SELECTION PANEL ASKS EACH TRAINEE TO RECITE FROM THE BOOK OF MANTRAS.

THE MONKS ARE TRAINED TO SHOW NO EMOTION... [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: EVEN IN THE FACE OF FAILURE.

IT'S FINALLY YANDIAN'S TURN.

IF HE SUCCEEDS, HE WILL BECOME A FULL MONK.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: FAIL--AND IT'S ANOTHER 3-YEAR WAIT TO TRY AGAIN.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HE'S MADE IT.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: YANDIAN WILL NOW BECOME A FULL SHAOLIN WARRIOR MONK.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HE WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE TRAINING, STUDYING, AND MEDITATING ON HIS ROAD TO ENLIGHTENMENT.

[YANDIAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE IS OVER 1,500 YEARS OLD.

BUT NEW WONDERS ARE BEING BUILT ALL THE TIME.

THE DHAMMAKAYA TEMPLE IN THAILAND, COMPLETED IN 2010, IS COVERED IN 300,000 SMALL STATUES OF BUDDHA.

AND EVERY NIGHT IT'S ILLUMINATED BY THOUSANDS OF LANTERNS.

BUT ONE SACRED WONDER IN LONDON BUILT 25 YEARS AGO ISN'T JUST NEW, IT'S THE WORLD'S FIRST FLAT-PACK TEMPLE.

SRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR... A TRADITIONAL HINDU TEMPLE...

IN NEASDEN, NORTHWEST LONDON.

IT WAS THE FIRST TRADITIONAL HINDU TEMPLE EVER BUILT IN EUROPE... AND EVEN TODAY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST OF ITS KIND.

COMPLETED IN 1995, IT'S MADE FROM OVER 5,000 TONS OF MARBLE AND LIMESTONE BOUGHT IN EUROPE AND THEN SENT TO INDIA TO BE HAND-CARVED.

OVER 26,000 INDIVIDUAL PIECES WERE THEN SHIPPED TO THE U.K., TO BE CAREFULLY ASSEMBLED BY 3,000 VOLUNTEERS.

HINDU GODS ARE BELIEVED TO INHABIT THE TEMPLE'S MANY STATUES, AND THE RESIDENT MONKS FEED AND DRESS THEM EVERY DAY AS LIVING BEINGS.

AND IN 3 DAYS' TIME, THESE DEITIES WILL BE HONORED WITH THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR.

MIRAJ PATEL IS GOING TO PLAY A KEY ROLE.

MIRAJ: MY FAITH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I TRY AND KEEP IT AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING I DO.

NARRATOR: 22-YEAR-OLD MIRAJ IS A MEDICAL STUDENT.

MUCH OF HIS FREE TIME IS SPENT AT THE TEMPLE.

MIRAJ: I SEE THE TEMPLE AS NOT ONLY A PLACE OF WORSHIP, ERM, BUT AS A, AS A SECOND HOME ALMOST.

NARRATOR: THE TEMPLE SERVES A 100,000-STRONG HINDU COMMUNITY IN LONDON.

AND ALONG WITH THE TEMPLE'S OTHER VOLUNTEERS, MIRAJ IS PREPARING FOR ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN THE HINDU CALENDAR: NEW YEAR.

JOGNESH.

ANOTHER YEAR.

NARRATOR: MIRAJ IS PART OF THE TEAM PREPARING A GIGANTIC OFFERING TO THE GODS FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY.

IT'S CALLED ANNAKUT: THE MOUNTAIN OF FOOD.

MAN: READY?

LET'S ROCK AND ROLL.

MIRAJ: IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY THANKS TO THE GODS.

NARRATOR: MAKING THE MOUNTAIN OF FOOD AS BEAUTIFUL AS POSSIBLE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF GIVING THANKS.

OH, BLUEBERRY--NICE.

NARRATOR: FOR MIRAJ, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO PRESENT THE ANNAKUT OFFERING ON TIME.

MIRAJ: 12:00 IS THE LUNCHTIME PERIOD THAT THE GODS AND THE GURUS NORMALLY EAT.

WE CAN'T BE 5 MINUTES LATE AND WE CAN'T BE 5 MINUTES EARLY.

NARRATOR: BUT THEY HAVE TO LAY OUT OVER 1,400 DISHES... [RINGS] AND THERE'S A MAJOR HURDLE.

[PEOPLE SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: TODAY IS DIWALI, ITSELF AN IMPORTANT HINDU FESTIVAL-- AND THE PRAYER HALL WHERE THE FOOD NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED WILL BE IN CONSTANT USE UNTIL SUNSET.

[SINGING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: SO, MIRAJ AND THE TEAM WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME TO GET ALL THE FOOD IN PLACE FOR THE BIG EVENT TOMORROW.

PUT ONE CIRCLE ROUND AND THEN PUT THE THING-- YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

NARRATOR: ALL THEY CAN DO NOW IS PLATE UP AS MUCH FOOD AS THEY CAN SO THEY ARE READY TO GO THE MOMENT THEY ARE ALLOWED INTO THE PRAYER HALL.

TAKE IT THAT WAY.

GO THERE.

NARRATOR: THERE ARE MORE THAN 10,000 BISCUITS AND 30,000 INDIAN SWEETS.

MIRAJ: SEE THOSE 3 PURPLE TRAYS OVER THERE?

THEY WANT THEM STACKED.

THOSE ARE THE ONES WITH [INDISTINCT], SO, PUT THEM OVER HERE IF YOU WANT.

NARRATOR: SOME MADE IN THE TEMPLE KITCHENS, OTHERS DONATED BY WORSHIPPERS.

IT'S MORE STABLE LIKE THIS.

WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT'S AN OFFERING TO GOD.

NARRATOR: THE TEAM TAKES ENORMOUS CARE TO MAKE EACH DISH LOOK AS SPECTACULAR AS POSSIBLE.

MIRAJ: PERFECT.

NARRATOR: BUT MANY ARE NERVE-RACKINGLY AMBITIOUS.

MAN: DID YOU BREAK IT AGAIN?

SECOND MAN: YEAH.

NARRATOR: THE SUN HAS SET.

DIWALI ENDS, AS ALWAYS, WITH A BANG.

AS THE WORSHIPPERS ENJOY THE FIREWORKS...

IN THE EMPTY PRAYER HALL, MIRAJ AND THE TEAM CAN START TO SET UP THE "MOUNTAIN OF FOOD."

BUT MOVING THE DISHES INTO PLACE IS HAZARDOUS.

MAN: IT'S REALLY BAD.

NARRATOR: OFFERING DIRTY FOOD WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL, SO, IT HAS TO BE THROWN AWAY.

MAN: YOGHURT--SLOWLY TAKE IT.

THIS WAY.

NARRATOR: SOME DISHES ARE TRICKIER THAN OTHERS.

MIRAJ: BISCUITS, THEY ARE ALWAYS NOTORIOUSLY HARD, BECAUSE THEY OFTEN KIND OF SLIP AND SLIDE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO, TO BE HONEST, I KIND OF TEND TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BISCUITS.

NARRATOR: IT'S 11 P.M. MIRAJ AND THE TEAM HAVE GOTTEN AS FAR AS THEY CAN TONIGHT.

THE FRESH FOOD WILL BE PUT OUT IN THE MORNING.

TIME TO GO HOME AND GRAB SOME SLEEP.

HINDU NEW YEAR.

VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN COOKING SINCE DAYBREAK, MAKING EVERYTHING FROM CURRIES TO SAMOSAS.

MAN: 'SCUSE US, SWAMI.

NARRATOR: MIRAJ AND THE TEAM NOW HAVE TWO HOURS TO CAREFULLY ADD THE NEW OFFERINGS TO THE DISPLAY.

MIRAJ: THE ATMOSPHERE IS TENSE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS READY IN TIME FOR MIDDAY.

NARRATOR: THE STAGE IS NOW SO PACKED WITH DISHES, A TRIP WOULD BE A DISASTER.

MAN: KEEP BRINGING THEM UP AND FILL THE GAPS.

OFF CENTER IT.

SECOND MAN: WE HAVE TO CALM DOWN A BIT.

NARRATOR: OUTSIDE THE HALL, THE WORSHIPPERS ARE GATHERING.

MAN: WHAT TIME IS IT?

SECOND MAN: BE VERY CAREFUL.

NARRATOR: FINALLY...MIRAJ PUTS HIS LAST DISH IN PLACE.

THE MOUNTAIN OF FOOD IS COMPLETE.

1,400 PLATES--LOVINGLY PREPARED AND PERFECTLY PRESENTED.

THE MONKS CAN OFFER THE GODS THEIR FIRST MEAL OF THE HINDU NEW YEAR.

I'M SO GLAD IT'S ALL FINISHED IN TIME.

IT'S GREAT.

IT'S AMAZING.

NARRATOR: WORSHIPPERS AND VISITORS ALIKE FLOOD IN TO ENJOY THE ANNAKUT OFFERING.

EVEN THE MAYOR OF LONDON HAS COME.

[APPLAUSE] AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FOOD WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS.

MIRAJ IS EXHAUSTED, BUT PLEASED HE'S DONE HIS BIT.

MIRAJ: I LIKE TO THINK THAT THE GODS ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH OUR EFFORTS.

THE SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT THAT YOU GET IS ASTONISHING.

NARRATOR: IN LONDON, THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES COEXISTING SIDE BY SIDE.

BUT ONE CITY IS HOME TO SITES SO DEEPLY SACRED TO 3 DIFFERENT RELIGIONS... THAT IT HAS BECOME THE MOST CONTESTED SACRED PLACE ON EARTH.

JERUSALEM.

FOR CHRISTIANS, THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE MARKS THE SITE OF JESUS CHRIST'S CRUCIFIXION AND BURIAL.

FOR JEWS, THE WESTERN WALL IS A RELIC FROM THE SITE OF A SACRED TEMPLE...

BELIEVED TO BE THE DWELLING PLACE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD ON EARTH.

AND FOR MUSLIMS, ONE OF THE MOST SACRED SITES ON THE PLANET... AL AQSA.

A WALLED COMPOUND 1,600 BY 1,000 FEET.

AT ITS HEART IS THE DOME OF THE ROCK, MARKING THE SPOT WHERE THE PROPHET MOHAMMED IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.

FOR MANY MUSLIMS, THIS IS AS CLOSE AS YOU WILL GET TO HEAVEN WHILE STILL ON EARTH.

THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS ARE FLOCKING TO AL AQSA TO MARK THE FINAL DAYS OF RAMADAN, THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH.

WITH EVERYONE FASTING FROM DAWN UNTIL DUSK, HUNGER AND DEHYDRATION MEAN MANY COLLAPSE.

[WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE PALESTINE RED CRESCENT IS ON HAND TO DEAL WITH ANY CASUALTIES, BOTH IN- AND OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND.

EHAB ABDEEN HAS VOLUNTEERED AS A PARAMEDIC DURING THE BUSIEST PART OF RAMADAN.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: 24-YEAR-OLD EHAB USUALLY WORKS AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.

HE OFTEN COMES TO AL AQSA TO PRAY.

[WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: BUT OVER THE NEXT 4 DAYS, EHAB WILL BE DOING SHIFTS WITH ONE OF THE 5 AMBULANCES AT THE MAIN GATE.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HE TRAINED AS A VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDER SO THAT HE COULD HELP WORSHIPPERS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AND LIKE EVERY RAMADAN, HIS STINT WILL END WITH THE MOST DEMANDING SHIFT OF ALL... ON THE MOST SACRED NIGHT OF THE YEAR: THE NIGHT OF POWER.

THE PACE IS ALREADY FRANTIC.

AND JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, EHAB AND AMBULANCE DRIVER BASSAM ARE FASTING.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HE WILL BE WORKING ALL DAY WITHOUT FOOD OR DRINK IN THE SCORCHING HEAT.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: A WOMAN HAS BEEN STRETCHERED OUT AFTER COLLAPSING.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S ONE IN THE AFTERNOON.

AS THE TEMPERATURE RISES, SO DOES THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES.

BUT HEAT, HUNGER, AND DEHYDRATION AREN'T THE ONLY PROBLEM.

THE SITE IS A POWERFUL DRAW.

AND SOME PEOPLE GO TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO GET HERE.

INSIDE THE COMPOUND, PARAMEDICS HAVE PICKED UP A 20-YEAR-OLD WITH A SEVERELY INJURED FOOT.

HE'S RUSHED OUT TO EHAB'S AMBULANCE TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SIREN WAILING] NARRATOR: THIS CASUALTY IS A PALESTINIAN FROM THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE ISRAELI AUTHORITIES CONSIDER AL AQSA TO BE A FLASHPOINT FOR POLITICAL PROTESTS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN VIOLENT INCIDENTS OVER THE YEARS.

[SIREN WAILING] SO, ON THE HOLIEST DAYS OF RAMADAN, NO PALESTINIAN MEN UNDER THE AGE OF 30 ARE ALLOWED ACCESS.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: DENIED THE RIGHT TO PRAY AT AL AQSA AT THIS IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR, IT SEEMS THIS YOUNG WORSHIPPER CLIMBED OVER THE CONTROVERSIAL HIGH BARRIER BUILT BY THE ISRAELI AUTHORITIES IN AND AROUND THE WEST BANK.

AS A RESULT, HE HAS SERIOUSLY HURT HIS FOOT.

EHAB'S BEEN VOLUNTEERING FOR 10 YEARS AND HE'S SEEN MANY CASES LIKE THIS.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: BACK AT THE RED CRESCENT DEPOT, AFTER 14 HOURS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER...IT'S DUSK.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: A FIREWORK AUDIBLE ACROSS THE CITY MARKS THE BREAKING OF THE FAST... [EXPLOSION] [INDISTINCT CHATTER] AND FINALLY EHAB AND THE PARAMEDICS CAN EAT.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [LAUGHS] NARRATOR: EHAB'S LAST SHIFT WILL BE THE MOST CHALLENGING OF ALL... [MUEZZIN CALLING] BECAUSE TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT OF POWER-- THE ANNIVERSARY, IT'S BELIEVED, OF THE MOMENT ALLAH BEGAN TO REVEAL ISLAM'S HOLY BOOK, THE QURAN, TO MOHAMMED.

IT'S THE BUSIEST NIGHT OF RAMADAN.

OVER 350,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO COME TO AL AQSA TO PRAY.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: KNOWING HOW HECTIC IT'S GOING TO BE, MORE PARAMEDICS ARE ON CALL THAN USUAL.

AND BEFORE GOING OUT, THEY ALL PRAY TOGETHER.

EHAB HAS 8 HOURS TO GO UNTIL THE 4 A.M.

CALL TO PRAYER, WHEN THE NIGHT OF POWER, AND HIS WORK AT AL AQSA, WILL BE OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: IT'S BELIEVED THAT A PRAYER TONIGHT IS WORTH A THOUSAND MONTHS OF DEVOTION AT ANY OTHER TIME.

SO, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS ARE SQUEEZED INTO THE COMPOUND.

AND ANY GOOD DEEDS PERFORMED TONIGHT-- LIKE VOLUNTEERING--ARE ALSO ESPECIALLY BLESSED.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THEIR FIRST CASUALTY OF THE NIGHT IS A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN CRUSHED AGAINST A WALL DURING A CROWD SURGE.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: HER WRIST LOOKS BROKEN.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: GETTING THE PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL HAS GONE SMOOTHLY.

BUT AS THEY HEAD BACK TO THEIR POST, THEY HIT TROUBLE.

THERE ARE NOW SO MANY WORSHIPPERS TRYING TO GET TO AL AQSA THAT THE ROADS ARE COMPLETELY GRIDLOCKED.

[BASSAM SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: DESPITE THEIR LIGHTS AND SIRENS, NO ONE IS BUDGING.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: WITH CALLS COMING IN ABOUT MULTIPLE CASUALTIES CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING, THEY NEED TO GET BACK.

[SIREN WAILING] FINALLY, THE TRAFFIC MAKES WAY FOR THEM... JUST IN TIME TO PICK UP ANOTHER PATIENT.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SIREN WAILING] NARRATOR: THERE ARE STILL 3 HOURS TO GO.

AND AS THE WORSHIPPERS KEEP COMING, THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES RISES.

[EHAD SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: AT LAST, IT'S THE 4 A.M.

CALL TO PRAYER.

[MUEZZIN CALLING] EHAB AND BASSAM, ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER WORSHIPPERS AT AL AQSA, WELCOME A NEW DAY.

THE NIGHT OF POWER IS OVER.

[EHAB SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] MAN: TO ORDER "EARTH'S SACRED WONDERS" ON DVD, VISIT SHOP PBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

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