Panchen Lama's sacred ritual draws thousands of devotees

Devotees of Tibetan Buddhism take part in the Kalachakra initiation by the Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu in Xigaze, the second-largest city in the Tibet autonomous region, July 21, 2016. The Kalachakra is a ritual that aims to initiate and empower disciples. An estimated 100,000 devotees of Tibetan Buddhism took part in the Kalachakra initiation during the first day of the four-day event on Thursday, according to the government news office of the Tibet autonomous region. Believers regard the initiation as the highest of teachings. [Photo/Xinhua]