Loud, garish and witty: Young pilgrims embrace an ancient goddess

In a din of firecrackers, cymbals and horns, a team of worshipers carried the wrapped wooden statue of a woman with a serene face, holding it aloft on a brightly colored litter as they navigated through tens of thousands of spectators.

As the porters moved forward, hundreds of people lined up in front of them, kneeling on the road and waiting for the moment when the statue would pass. over their heads.

Some cried after that; many smiled and took selfies. “I love Mazu, and Mazu loves me,” the crowd shouted.

Mazu, sometimes known as the sea goddess, is the most revered among dozens of people. deities that many people in Taiwan turn to for comfort, guidance, and good fortune. The huge annual processions in his honor are noisy and garish. And yet, for many, they are also deeply spiritual events, acts of faith showing that Mazu and other spirits remain vibrant presences here, alongside Buddhism and Christianity.

ImageMazu's followers bowed and lit incense in front of a statue of Mazu in a temple.

ImageCarrying Mazu through a crowd of people. In recent years, many young Taiwanese have participated in pilgrimages.