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.

TO THESE SACRED PLACES, BUT WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO PROVOKE SUCH PASSION?

[PEOPLE CHEER] NARRATOR: 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, THEY ARE SITES OF ASTONISHING ACTS OF WORSHIP, DANGEROUS CHALLENGES, AND EXTRAORDINARY DEEDS OF DEVOTION RARELY SEEN BY OUTSIDERS.

THIS TIME, AT THE HOLY SEPULCHRE IN JERUSALEM, AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MUST DELIVER A HOLY FLAME INTO THE HANDS OF HIS BISHOP.

[BELL RINGS] AT BUDHANATH IN NEPAL, A BUDDHIST PAINTER BATTLES THE ELEMENTS IN ORDER TO HONOR BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY, AND AT LALISH IN IRAQ, A YOUNG YAZIDI WOMAN GOES IN SEARCH OF SALVATION AFTER BEING TRAUMATIZED BY RECENT CONFLICT.

[WEEPING] NARRATOR: IN THIS SERIES, WE REVEAL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO FOR THEIR FAITH IN SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SACRED PLACES ON THE PLANET.

NARRATOR: AT ONE SACRED WONDER IN JERUSALEM, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY IS THOUGHT TO HAPPEN EVERY YEAR IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME-- A MIRACLE.

THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE-- ONE OF THE MOST SACRED SITES IN CHRISTIANITY.

IT'S BUILT WHERE CHRIST IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED, BURIED, AND RESURRECTED.

HIS TOMB IS ENCLOSED WITHIN A SHRINE, AND SURROUNDING IT ARE A NUMBER OF CHAPELS, EACH ONE GOVERNED BY A DIFFERENT BRANCH OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

FOR SYRIAC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN HANNA KOSHO, IT IS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL PLACE.

NARRATOR: LIKE MANY ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, HANNA BELIEVES THAT ON EASTER SATURDAY FOR OVER 1,200 YEARS A MIRACLE HAS TAKEN PLACE HERE.

ON THIS DAY INSIDE THE SHRINE, IT IS SAID THE HOLY SPIRIT CREATES A SACRED FLAME.

THAT FLAME IS THEN CARRIED TO THE CHAPELS A FEW METERS AWAY BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO ORTHODOX CHURCHES ALL OVER THE CITY.

NARRATOR: TOMORROW HANNA WILL BE ONE OF THE FLAME BEARERS.

HE TRAVELS FROM SWEDEN EVERY YEAR TO PERFORM THIS ROLE FOR HIS CHURCH.

NARRATOR: IT IS A HUGELY PRESTIGIOUS ROLE THAT IS PASSED DOWN THE GENERATIONS.

NARRATOR: NOW HE'S STARTED TEACHING HIS NEPHEW YOUSEF, HERE FROM MICHIGAN, HOW IT'S DONE.

YOUSEF, VOICE-OVER: KNOWING THAT IT HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR SO LONG AND HAVING PEOPLE LIKE MY FATHER, MY UNCLE, OUR GRANDPARENTS HAVING THE CHANCE TO CARRY IT AND NOW THAT ME AND MY COUSINS ARE HAVING THE CHANCE TO CARRY IT, IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT HONOR.

NARRATOR: IT'S 9 A.M. ON EASTER SATURDAY.

CROWDS ARE STARTING TO GATHER AT THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

PILGRIMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE COME, HOPING TO WITNESS THE MIRACLE.

[BAGPIPES AND DRUMS PLAYING] HANNA HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 24 YEARS, BUT THIS YEAR, YOUSEF IS GOING TO HELP HIM CARRY THE SACRED FLAME.

YOUSEF, VOICE-OVER: IT'S KIND OF OVERWHELMING AT FIRST, BUT THEN WHEN YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE, IT KIND OF MAKES EVERYTHING SEEM PRETTY SMALL, THAT YOU'RE THERE FOR A BIGGER REASON.

[PEOPLE CHANTING] NARRATOR: INSIDE THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, ANTICIPATION IS BUILDING.

WHEN THE HOLY FLAME APPEARS, EVERYONE WILL BE DESPERATE TO TOUCH IT.

NARRATOR: HANNA AND YOUSEF WILL ONLY HAVE A MATTER OF SECONDS TO GET IT FROM THE SHRINE TO THEIR CHAPEL BEFORE THE OVEREXCITED CROWD CLOSES IN.

NARRATOR: EVERYONE IS JOSTLING FOR THE BEST SPOT.

THE PRESSURE IS GETTING TO HANNA AND YOUSEF, TOO.

HANNA: YOUSEF... NARRATOR: THE ONLY PERSON WHO WILL ACTUALLY WITNESS THE HOLY FLAME IS THE PATRIARCH OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH.

HE'S SEARCHED TO MAKE SURE HE ISN'T CARRYING ANYTHING THAT HE COULD USE TO CREATE A FLAME.

THEN HE'S SHUT INSIDE THE SHRINE.

WHEN THE HOLY FLAME APPEARS, HE WILL PASS IT OUT THROUGH A PORTHOLE TO THE WAITING FLAME CARRIERS.

HANNA IS POISED BY THE SHRINE, YOUSEF 60 FEET BEHIND HIM, AND IN ONE OF THE SURROUNDING CHAPELS, THE BISHOP FROM THEIR CHURCH IS ALSO WAITING.

EVERYONE IS PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE.

YOUSEF, VOICE-OVER: YOUR HEART STARTS BEATING FASTER AND FASTER.

YOU CAN'T HELP BUT TO GET A LITTLE BIT ANXIOUS.

NARRATOR: THE HOLY FLAME HAS APPEARED, AND THE FIRST CANDLES LIT WITH IT ARE PASSED OUT OF THE SHRINE.

THE FASTER HANNA AND YOUSEF CAN GET IT TO THEIR BISHOP, THE GREATER THE HONOR.

NARRATOR: IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, IT'S ALL OVER.

THE BISHOP HAS THE FLAME.

YOUSEF, VOICE-OVER: ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THE HOLY FIRE TO THE BISHOP, THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING FEELING, KNOWING THAT IN MY HEART, I FEEL CLOSER TO GOD AND TO JESUS.

NARRATOR: ALL AROUND THE SHRINE, THE FLAME IS PASSED FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, THIS HOLY FIRE WILL BE TAKEN TO ORTHODOX CHURCHES NOT JUST ACROSS JERUSALEM, BUT AS FAR AFIELD AS RUSSIA AND NORTH AMERICA.

YOUSEF, VOICE-OVER: ALL I COULD FEEL IS PEACE, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS.

I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE HONOR TO CARRY THE HOLY FIRE AND TO CONTINUE ON THE LEGACY OF THE KOSHO FAMILY.

NARRATOR: THERE HAS BEEN A CHURCH ON THE SITE OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, AND IT NEEDS CONSTANT CARE AND ATTENTION, AS DO MANY SACRED WONDERS.

THE CENTURIES-OLD CHURCHES OF LALIBELA IN ETHIOPIA, CARVED OUT OF THE BEDROCK, ARE NOW IN NEED OF A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR RESTORATION, AND AT THE BLUE MOSQUE IN ISTANBUL, HUNDREDS OF THE DOME'S ICONIC CERAMIC TILES HAVE BEEN BROKEN OR STOLEN OVER THE YEARS AND ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED, BUT THERE'S AN ANCIENT WONDER IN NEPAL THAT ALWAYS LOOKS PRISTINE-- BOUDHANATH.

THIS GRAND BUDDHIST STUPA IN NEPAL'S CAPITAL CITY KATHMANDU IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD.

DATING BACK TO THE 14th CENTURY, IT HOUSES HOLY RELICS SAID TO INCLUDE THE BONES OF BUDDHA, BUT DESPITE ITS AGE, IT'S IN ALMOST-PERFECT CONDITION BECAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY BEING REPAINTED.

38-YEAR-OLD BUDDHIST MILAN SHRESTHA IS ONE OF A TEAM RESPONSIBLE.

NARRATOR: WORKING AT BOUDHANATH IS CONSIDERED AUSPICIOUS.

MILAN BELIEVES HE AND HIS FAMILY WILL HAVE GOOD FORTUNE, OR KARMA, AS A RESULT OF HIS JOB, AND SO DO THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THE PAINT THEY USE.

THERE'S A STEADY STREAM OF DONATIONS FROM DEVOTEES HOPING FOR BETTER KARMA IN THE FUTURE.

THE DONATIONS ARE MADE ALL YEAR ROUND, AND AS A RESULT, THE STUPA IS CONSTANTLY REPAINTED, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PAINT JOB OF THE YEAR IS TOMORROW BECAUSE IT'S BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY AND THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE WILL BE REDONE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM IN A SINGLE DAY.

NARRATOR: WITH 24 HOURS TO GO, THE DECORATING TEAM HAS GATHERED.

THEY ARE WAITING TO FIND OUT WHO GETS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE-- PAINTING THE DECORATIVE ORANGE ARCS ACROSS THE STRUCTURE.

THEY REPRESENT LOTUS PETALS, A BUDDHIST SYMBOL OF PURITY AND ENLIGHTENMENT.

NARRATOR: MILAN HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO PAINT 16 AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE STUPA.

IT'S HIS FIRST TIME DOING IT ON BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY, AND IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.

MAKING THEM TAKES GREAT SKILL AND PRECISION.

ALL ACROSS THE CITY, EVERYONE PREPARES FOR THE BIG DAY.

THE STUPA'S DOME IS SO SACRED, TO MINIMIZE CONTACT WITH IT, RATHER THAN USE BRUSHES, THE PAINT MUST BE THROWN.

MILAN'S FRIEND PURNA HAS TAUGHT HIM A TECHNIQUE.

NARRATOR: EVERY PETAL MUST BE THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE.

THE KNACK LIES IN FLICKING THE PAINT AT JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE, BUT THERE'S AN ADDED COMPLICATION.

THE HIMALAYAN WIND OFTEN STRENGTHENS IN THE AFTERNOON.

NARRATOR: IT'S THE DAY OF BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY.

THOUSANDS HAVE ARRIVED, AND MORE PAINT DONATIONS ARE MADE TODAY THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME OF YEAR.

THEY USE TWO TYPES OF PAINT-- THE LOTUS PETAL COLOR MADE WITH SAFFRON AND THE WHITEWASH MADE FROM LIME, A CORROSIVE MIX THAT MUST BE HANDLED WITH CARE.

FIRST, THE WHOLE DOME IS GIVEN A NEW COAT OF WHITEWASH.

NARRATOR: SO FAR, SO GOOD, BUT THEY NEED TO WORK FAST.

THE WIND HAS STARTED TO PICK UP.

SUDDENLY, MILAN IS TRIPPED UP.

NARRATOR: A VIOLENT GUST SPRAYS WHITEWASH STRAIGHT INTO HIS FACE.

NARRATOR: THE LIME IN THE PAINT COULD PERMANENTLY DAMAGE HIS EYESIGHT... NARRATOR: BUT THE WIND'S GETTING WORSE.

AFTER WASHING HIS EYE, THEY QUICKLY PUSH ON.

NARRATOR: THE WHITEWASHING IS COMPLETE.

NOW IT'S TIME TO PAINT THE LOTUS PETALS.

NARRATOR: AS HIS TEAMMATES GET TO WORK ON THE UPPER PART OF THE STUPA, MILAN STARTS ON THE FIRST OF 16 PETALS AROUND THE BASE.

UH!

NARRATOR: HE MUST THROW HIS PAINT AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT ANGLE IN ORDER TO CREATE THE PERFECT ARC.

UH!

UH!

NARRATOR: DESPITE THE WIND, ONE BY ONE, THE PETALS START TO TAKE SHAPE.

UH!

UH!

UH!

NARRATOR: AT LAST, HE'S FINISHED, BUT IS IT UP TO PAR?

ONE, TWO... NARRATOR: THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT ALL 16 ARE PRESENT AND CORRECT.

NARRATOR: LIKE BOUDHANATH, MANY WONDERS TAKE YEARS TO BUILD.

THE CHURCH OF SAINT SAVA IN SERBIA WAS BEGUN IN 1935, BUT CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED TWICE BY WAR, AND IT WASN'T FINALLY COMPLETED UNTIL 2004... AND IN BARCELONA, THE CHURCH OF THE SAGRADA FAMILIA-- DESIGNED BY SPANISH ARCHITECT GAUDI, STARTED IN 1882-- IS STILL UNFINISHED TO THIS DAY, BUT IN NEW MEXICO, THERE ARE SACRED WONDERS THAT ARE BUILT IN A MATTER OF HOURS AND LAST FOR JUST A MATTER OF DAYS.

THIS GROUP OF MESCALERO APACHES ARE GATHERING WOOD FOR A NEW SACRED STRUCTURE.

ONE MORE!

NARRATOR: THEY BELIEVE THAT AT THE CENTER OF ALL CREATION IS A POWERFUL, FEMALE FIGURE CALLED WHITE PAINTED WOMAN, AND THESE TREES WILL BE USED TO BUILD A SACRED TEPEE THAT WILL CHANNEL HER ENERGY TO TRANSFORM TWO GIRLS INTO WOMEN.

NO MORE!

NARRATOR: IN JUST 24 HOURS, 14-YEAR-OLD JORDYN CHEE AND HER 13-YEAR-OLD SISTER JAELYNNE WILL BEGIN THIS GRUELING RITE OF PASSAGE.

JORDYN: THERE'S 4 STAGES OF CHILDHOOD.

THERE'S A BABY, A CHILD, A TEENAGER, AND A WOMAN.

BECOMING A WOMAN, YOU NEED TO BE A PERSON THAT IS STRONG, A PERSON THAT'S CARING FOR EVERYONE.

NARRATOR: FOR THE MESCALERO APACHE, THIS COMING-OF-AGE CEREMONY IS HUGELY IMPORTANT, AND THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR IT FOR OVER A YEAR.

WOMAN: ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE AS MANY MENTAL PICTURES AS YOU CAN.

REALLY JUST LOOK AROUND AND BE THANKFUL TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.

THEIR DRESSES WILL HAVE... NARRATOR: THEY ARE BEING MENTORED BY THEIR GODMOTHER ARDENA, WHO WENT THROUGH THE CEREMONY HERSELF.

ARDENA: THE NEXT FEW DAYS IS SHOWING YOU CHALLENGES AND THAT YOU CAN GET THROUGH ANY CHALLENGE THAT COMES INTO YOUR LIFE.

NARRATOR: FOR THE NEXT 4 DAYS AND NIGHTS, THE GIRLS MUST PERFORM A SERIES OF TRADITIONAL MESCALERO DANCES.

JORDYN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

HOW I'VE BEEN PREPARING MYSELF IS JUST TRYING TO GET MYSELF FIT FOR THIS BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE HARD, I KNOW.

NARRATOR: THE WOOD THAT THE MEN HAVE COLLECTED WILL BE USED TO BUILD A SACRED STRUCTURE APACHES CALL THE BIG TEPEE.

ONCE COMPLETED, IT WILL BE A PORTAL INTO THE SPIRIT WORLD.

WHEN THE GIRLS ARE DANCING INSIDE IT, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THEY WILL CHANNEL THE POWER OF WHITE PAINTED WOMAN AND BECOME WOMEN THEMSELVES, BUT IT WILL BE AN EXHAUSTING TEST OF MIND AND BODY.

JAELYNNE, VOICE-OVER: IT'S POWERFUL IN MANY WAYS.

WHEN WE'RE DANCING, I THINK WE'RE GONNA FEEL THE ENERGY AS WE'RE IN THE TEPEE.

I DON'T KNOW THE JOURNEY OF BEING A WOMAN YET, BUT I THINK ME AND MY SISTER CAN TAKE IT.

NARRATOR: THE 4-DAY TRIAL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

OH, HEY, COME ON.

GET BACK HERE.

NARRATOR: THE BIG TEPEE IS RAISED.

APACHES ARE ANIMISTS.

THEY BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IN THE NATURAL WORLD HAS A SPIRITUAL ESSENCE.

THE BIG TEPEE IS A SYMBOL OF THEIR BELIEFS.

IT'S SAID TO REPRESENT THE MESCALERO APACHE VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE FRAME IS SUPPORTED BY 4 FOUNDATION POLES KNOWN AS THE GRANDFATHERS.

THEY ARE BELIEVED TO HOLD UP THE SKY, WHICH IS MALE.

THEY, IN TURN, ENCIRCLE THAT PART OF THE FEMALE EARTH, WHICH IS THE APACHE'S HOMELAND.

AS THE TEPEE NEARS COMPLETION, THE GIRLS ARE DRESSED IN CEREMONIAL CLOTHES.

EACH TASSEL REPRESENTS A MESCALERO ANCESTOR WHILE THE FEATHERS IN THEIR HAIR LINK THEM TO THE NATURAL WORLD.

[MEN SINGING] NARRATOR: ONCE DRESSED, THE GIRLS ARE BLESSED WITH POLLEN, A SYMBOL OF WHITE PAINTED WOMAN.

FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS, THEY MUST SHOW NO EMOTION UNTIL THE CEREMONY IS COMPLETE.

THEY ARE READY.

[MEN SINGING] NARRATOR: NOW SPIRITUAL GUIDES CALLED CROWN DANCERS MUST UNLOCK THE DOOR TO THE SPIRIT WORLD BY DANCING AND CHANTING.

[SINGING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: ONCE THE POWER OF WHITE PAINTED WOMAN IS BELIEVED TO BE FLOWING, THE GIRLS GO INSIDE THE BIG TEPEE AND BEGIN TO DANCE.

OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS AND NIGHTS, THEY WILL INCREASE THE LENGTH OF TIME THEY DANCE FOR AS THEY RE-ENACT THE APACHE STORY OF CREATION.

IT'S SAID WHITE PAINTED WOMAN WAS IMPREGNATED BY THE SUN AND THE RAIN, GIVING BIRTH TO TWO CHILDREN.

THEY HELPED SAVE THE WORLD FROM DESTRUCTION, MAKING IT A SAFE PLACE FOR THE APACHE PEOPLE TO LIVE.

[SINGING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: LIKE MANY NATIVE AMERICAN CEREMONIES, IT WAS OUTLAWED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN THE 1890s AND COULD ONLY BE PRACTICED IN SECRET.

THE BAN WAS ONLY LIFTED IN 1978, BUT EVEN TODAY THE CEREMONY REMAINS A CLOSELY GUARDED EVENT ONLY WITNESSED BY IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

JORDYN, VOICE-OVER: THERE ARE STORIES THAT ARE TOLD IN THERE.

JUST THE POWER OF EVERYONE PRAYING FOR THE GIRL TO BE STRONG IS GIVING HER HELP DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS.

NARRATOR: ON THE THIRD NIGHT, THE GIRLS DANCE FOR 7 HOURS IN A SINGLE SESSION... [SINGING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: BUT NOW, ON THE FOURTH AND FINAL NIGHT, THEY FACE THEIR BIGGEST TEST.

JORDYN AND JAELYNNE LEAVE THE BIG TEPEE.

THEY ARE NOW READY TO JOIN THE CROWN DANCERS FOR THE LAST STEP IN TAKING ON WHITE PAINTED WOMAN'S POWER, AND TONIGHT THEY MUST DANCE NONSTOP FROM DUSK TILL DAWN.

[BELLS AND DRUMS PLAYING] JORDYN, VOICE-OVER: EVERYONE GATHERS AROUND, AND JUST THE POWER OF MY LATE ANCESTORS, THAT POWER LIFTS ME TO BE STRONGER.

JAELYNNE, VOICE-OVER: WE'RE JUST GONNA GET STRONGER AND STRONGER.

NARRATOR: AS DAWN BREAKS ON THE FINAL DAY, THE GIRLS HAVE ONE LAST FINAL TASK BEFORE THEIR TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE.

TO SHOW THEY HAVE TAKEN ON THE POWER OF WHITE PAINTED WOMAN, THEY ARE MARKED WITH WHITE CLAY.

THE BIG TEPEE HAS NOW DONE ITS JOB, AND THE MEN BEGIN TO DISMANTLE IT.

[MAN SHOUTS] NARRATOR: JORDYN AND JAELYNNE MUST NOW DEMONSTRATE THEIR NEWFOUND STRENGTH.

[PEOPLE CHEERING] NARRATOR: AFTER DANCING ALL NIGHT WITH NO SLEEP, THEY'RE UTTERLY EXHAUSTED, BUT NOW THEY MUST RUN AS FAR FROM THE TEPEE AS THEY FEEL THEY ARE ABLE TO BEFORE TURNING AROUND AND COVERING THE SAME DISTANCE BACK.

JAELYNNE, VOICE-OVER: IT'S TESTING OUR STRENGTH.

WE JUST GOT TO KEEP ON TRYING.

NARRATOR: THE GIRLS HAVE COVERED NEARLY A MILE AND ARE NOW ON THE RETURN LEG.

THEY'RE CLOSE TO COLLAPSE... [CHEERING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: BUT THEIR JOURNEY IS COMPLETE.

IN THE EYES OF THEIR PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERED WOMEN, AND THE SACRED WONDER CRUCIAL TO THAT TRANSFORMATION IS GONE.

JORDYN, VOICE-OVER: IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO CHERISH WITH ME FOR A LONG TIME.

NARRATOR: LIKE THE APACHE'S SACRED TEPEE, MANY WONDERS ARE PLACES WHERE SPIRITUAL ENERGY IS THOUGHT TO BE FOCUSED.

AT ALMOST 22,000 FEET HIGH, MOUNT KAILASH IN TIBET IS CONSIDERED A HUB OF SACRED POWER IN 4 DIFFERENT FAITHS.

TO THE SHAMANIC BON RELIGION, IT IS THE CENTRAL PILLAR OF THE WORLD WHILE IN JERUSALEM, JEWISH TRADITION HAS IT THAT A DIVINE PRESENCE CENTERS ON THE WESTERN WALL.

MANY BELIEVE THAT PRAYERS PLACED IN ITS CRACKS WILL BE HEARD BY GOD, AND ON THE INDONESIAN ISLAND OF BALI, THE FOCUS OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY IS A TEMPLE BUILT ON THE SLOPES OF A SACRED VOLCANO.

BESAKIH TEMPLE.

DATING BACK TO THE 14th CENTURY, THIS HINDU SITE IS A COMPLEX OF PAGODAS AND SHRINES ON THE SLOPES OF BALI'S HIGHEST AND MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO-- MOUNT AGUNG.

THE BALINESE PRACTICE A UNIQUE FORM OF HINDUISM.

MANY BELIEVE THAT THEIR ANCESTRAL SPIRITS AS WELL AS THE HINDU GODS LIVE ON THIS SACRED VOLCANO, AND AS THE CLOSEST PLACE OF WORSHIP TO THIS GATEWAY, BESAKIH IS THE MOST HOLY SITE IN BALI.

24-YEAR-OLD HINDU DEWA ADI OFTEN PRAYS HERE.

[BELL RINGS] NARRATOR: TODAY DEWA HAS COME TO COLLECT HOLY WATER FROM THE SACRED SPRINGS HERE.

IT'S AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN WHAT HE BELIEVES IS AN ANNUAL, TWO-DAY BATTLE AGAINST EVIL.

WHILE BALINESE HINDUS BELIEVE MOUNT AGUNG IS HOME TO THE GODS, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THE ENTIRE ISLAND IS STALKED BY DEMONIC SPIRITS SEARCHING FOR HUMAN SOULS TO TORMENT.

NARRATOR: TOMORROW DEWA WILL USE THE WATER FROM BESAKIH TO HELP HIM DRIVE THESE SPIRITS AWAY.

NARRATOR: THE FIRST STEP IS TO CATCH THESE SPIRITS, AND FOR THAT, DEWA NEEDS A TRAP.

LIKE OTHER GROUPS IN HIS VILLAGE, HE AND HIS FRIENDS ARE MAKING A GIANT SPIRIT CATCHER CALLED AN OGOH OGOH.

NARRATOR: IN JUST 12 HOURS, IT WILL BE USED TO ROUND UP THE DEMONIC SPIRITS.

NARRATOR: THE BIGGER AND FIERCER THE OGOH OGOH LOOKS, THE MORE SPIRITS WILL BE DRAWN INTO IT.

THIS YEAR'S CEREMONY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN USUAL FOR DEWA.

NARRATOR: AS WELL AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN OGOH OGOH, HE'S IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE SPIRIT HUNT IN HIS VILLAGE.

[MAN CHANTING] NARRATOR: IT'S THE DAY OF THE CEREMONY.

LIKE EVERY DAY, THE PRIESTS AT BESAKIH PRAY AND MAKE OFFERINGS TO APPEASE THE GODS ON MOUNT AGUNG... BUT AS NIGHT FALLS, DEWA AND THE REST OF HIS VILLAGE ARE AT THE FRONT LINE IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST EVIL.

[BELL RINGING] BEFORE THEY START, PRIESTS SPRAY ALL THE SPIRIT CATCHERS WITH THE HOLY WATER THAT DEWA BROUGHT FROM BESAKIH.

NARRATOR: TIME TO GO SPIRIT HUNTING.

EVERYONE MAKES AS MUCH NOISE AS THEY CAN TO FLUSH THEM OUT.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] NARRATOR: NOW THEY MUST CATCH THEM.

[PERCUSSION CONTINUES] DEWA AND THE TEAM SPIN THE OGOH OGOH ROUND... TO SCOOP UP AS MANY SPIRITS AS THEY CAN.

[SHOUTING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: THEY MUST COVER EVERY SINGLE STREET IN THE VILLAGE.

NARRATOR: BALINESE HINDUS BELIEVE THAT DEMONIC SPIRITS CANNOT TURN CORNERS AND TEND TO GATHER AT CROSSROADS AND JUNCTIONS, SO DEWA AND THE TEAM MUST PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THESE PARTS OF THE VILLAGE... [SHOUTING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: BUT THEY MUST BE CAREFUL.

IF THE OGOH OGOH GETS BROKEN, THEY BELIEVE, ALL THE DEMONIC SPIRITS WILL ESCAPE.

[PEOPLE CHEERING] NARRATOR: AFTER 5 HOURS, THEIR TRAPS ARE FULL.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO DESTROY THE SPIRITS THEY'VE CAUGHT WITH FIRE.

[PEOPLE HOOTING] NARRATOR: THEIR SPIRITUAL CLEANSE IS ALMOST COMPLETE, BUT THERE IS ONE FINAL STEP IN THE BATTLE AGAINST EVIL-- THE DAY OF SILENCE.

FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS, DEWA AND EVERYONE ON BALI, FROM RESIDENTS TO TOURISTS, IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO HIDE INDOORS AND KEEP QUIET.

THE AIM IS TO FOOL ANY REMAINING SPIRITS THEY MIGHT HAVE MISSED IN THE HUNT INTO THINKING THE ISLAND HAS BEEN ABANDONED.

WITH NO HUMANS LEFT TO TORMENT, THE SPIRITS WILL MOVE ON.

THE DAY OF SILENCE IS TAKEN EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

RELIGIOUS WARDENS ARE ON PATROL TO ENFORCE THE RULES.

[MAN SPEAKING INDONESIAN] [MAN ON RADIO SPEAKING INDONESIAN] NARRATOR: WORKING OR TRAVELLING IS FORBIDDEN.

THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS SHUT DOWN.

THE INTERNET IS SWITCHED OFF... AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES ARE CUT.

[BELL RINGING] BY 6 A.M.

THE FOLLOWING DAY, IT'S ALL OVER.

HELPED BY THE POWER OF BESAKIH, BALI'S SPIRITUAL ORDER HAS BEEN RESTORED FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

[BELL RINGING] [MAN CHANTING] NARRATOR: FOR THE BALINESE, THE HOLY WATERS OF BESAKIH ARE A VITAL WEAPON IN THE ANNUAL BATTLE AGAINST EVIL, AND IN MANY SACRED WONDERS, WATER LIES AT THE HEART OF ACTS OF FAITH.

IN INDIA, THE RIVER GANGES IS CONSIDERED SACRED BY HINDUS.

IT IS PERSONIFIED BY THE GODDESS GANGA, AND BATHING IN ITS WATERS IS BELIEVED TO ABSOLVE PEOPLE OF THEIR SINS WHILE AT LOURDES IN FRANCE, THE WATERS OF ITS HOLY SPRING ARE BELIEVED BY MANY OF THE MILLIONS OF PILGRIMS WHO VISIT EVERY YEAR TO HAVE MIRACULOUS HEALING POWERS, AND IN A WAR-TORN CORNER OF IRAQ, THERE IS ANOTHER WONDER WHERE THE WATERS OF A SACRED SPRING ARE HELPING TO HEAL WOMEN TRAUMATIZED BY A RECENT CONFLICT.

THE VALLEY OF LALISH.

THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLEX OF SHRINES HERE SINCE THE 12th CENTURY.

IT IS THE HEART OF THE YAZIDI RELIGION, AN ANCIENT FAITH FOLLOWED BY UNDER A MILLION PEOPLE.

YAZIDIS BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, REPRESENTED BY THE PEACOCK ANGEL.

THEIR HOLIEST FIGURE ON EARTH, BURIED BENEATH THESE CONICAL SHRINES, IS SHEIKH ADI IBN MUSAFIR.

FOR YAZIDIS, LALISH IS THE MOST SACRED PLACE ON EARTH, AND FOR 21-YEAR-OLD YAZIDI IVANA WALEED, IT HAS BECOME A PLACE OF HEALING.

NARRATOR: IVANA DOESN'T LIVE IN IRAQ ANYMORE.

SINCE 2015, SHE'S BEEN LIVING IN GERMANY WITH HER FAMILY... NARRATOR: BUT LALISH IS NEVER FAR FROM HER THOUGHTS ALONG WITH THE REASONS WHY SHE FLED.

IN 2014, SO-CALLED ISLAMIC STATE INVADED IVANA'S HOMELAND IN THE SINJAR REGION OF IRAQ, AND IN AN EVENT THAT HAS NOW BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A GENOCIDE BY THE U.N., THEIR VILLAGES WERE RAZED TO THE GROUND.

THOUSANDS OF MEN AND BOYS WERE KILLED, AND OVER 6,000 THOUSAND WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE TAKEN, MANY OF THEM AS SEX SLAVES, INCLUDING IVANA.

NARRATOR: SINCE HER ORDEAL, LALISH HAS BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN EVER FOR IVANA.

NARRATOR: WHILE SHE WAS HELD, IVANA WAS FORCED TO CONVERT TO ISLAM AND WAS FREQUENTLY RAPED AND BEATEN DURING HER 11-MONTH CAPTIVITY.

SHE WAS JUST 17 AT THE TIME.

NARRATOR: IVANA EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO ESCAPE.

SHE MADE IT TO A REFUGEE CAMP BEFORE FINALLY BEING GRANTED A SAFE HAVEN IN GERMANY, BUT OVER A THOUSAND WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE STILL MISSING.

[IVANA SPEAKS ARABIC] NARRATOR: NOW IVANA IS RETURNING TO LALISH TO ATTEND ONE OF THE HOLIEST EVENTS IN THE YAZIDI CALENDAR-- THE AUTUMN GATHERING.

[MAN SPEAKING ARABIC] NARRATOR: IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IVANA HAS BEEN BACK FOR THIS FESTIVAL SINCE SHE MOVED TO GERMANY.

NARRATOR: IRAQ, 4 DAYS LATER.

THIS AUTUMN GATHERING IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL ONE SINCE THE YAZIDIS' HOMELAND WAS INVADED, BUT IVANA'S RETURN ISN'T JUST TO MARK THIS FESTIVAL.

SHE'S ALSO HERE IN SEARCH OF SALVATION.

TRADITIONALLY, SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH ANYONE WHO ISN'T YAZIDI, EVEN IF IT'S NONCONSENSUAL, MEANS EXPULSION FROM THE FAITH AND THE COMMUNITY, BUT ONE MONTH AFTER THE INVASION, THE YAZIDI RELIGIOUS LEADER ANNOUNCED A CHANGE IN THE RULES FOR VICTIMS LIKE IVANA.

WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN HELD AS SEX SLAVES COULD RE-ENTER THE FAITH IF THEY RETURNED TO LALISH FOR A BLESSING.

FOR IVANA, CROSSING THE THRESHOLD IS A HUGELY POIGNANT MOMENT.

LALISH IS CONSIDERED SO SACRED THAT NO SHOES ARE WORN ANYWHERE INSIDE.

NARRATOR: IVANA LOOKS OUT FOR OLD FRIENDS... NARRATOR: AND MEETS YAZIDI SPIRITUAL LEADERS... NARRATOR: BUT AMONG THE CROWD, SHE IS SEARCHING FOR TWO FACES IN PARTICULAR-- [IVANA WEEPING] NARRATOR: HER GRANDPARENTS.

NARRATOR: THEY NOW LIVE IN A REFUGEE CAMP, AND IVANA HASN'T SEEN THEM SINCE SHE FLED 4 YEARS AGO.

[CONVERSATION CONTINUES IN ARABIC] NARRATOR: EVERY VISIT TO LALISH MUST INCLUDE A PILGRIMAGE TO THE BURIAL TOMB OF SHEIKH ADI... AND PRAYERS WITH A YAZIDI PRIEST.

NARRATOR: NOW IT'S TIME FOR IVANA'S BLESSING AT THE SACRED SPRING.

FOR MANY YAZIDI WOMEN WHO SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF ISLAMIC STATE, THIS CEREMONY BRINGS SO MUCH COMFORT, THEY RETURN TO REPEAT IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THIS WILL BE IVANA'S SECOND BLESSING SINCE HER ORDEAL.

[PEOPLE ULULATING] [IVANA SOBBING] NARRATOR: IVANA'S BLESSING TODAY CAN'T UNDO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER YAZIDI WOMEN, BUT IT'S A STEP ON THE ROAD TO HEALING.

[NEY AND TAMBOURINE PLAYING] NARRATOR: FOR YAZIDIS, LALISH IS THE CENTER OF THEIR IDENTITY AND A PLACE THAT CELEBRATES THE UNIFYING POWER OF SACRED WONDERS.

ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "EARTH'S SACRED WONDERS" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.