Passover prayers at Western Wall

Thousands of Jews gather at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to attend a mass prayer for the holiday of Passover.

The worshippers are attending Birkat Kohanim, or the Priestly Blessing, which draws crowds from across Israel and around the world.

The event is held three times a year.

Kohanim, or priests, lead the communal prayers by chanting three consecutive verses of the Torah, in a special song reputedly dating back to the Temple era itself.

The Western Wall is one of Judaism's most sacred sites.

It is located just below the al-Aqsa compound, which is Islam's third most holy site.

Travis Brecher, Reuters