14 Million Pilgrims Take Part in Arbaeen Processions in Karbala
This is according to a statement by the Astan (custodianship) of Hazrat Abbas (AS) holy shrine released on Thursday night. It added that there were no security issues during the processions, al-Kafeel website reported.
It said the processions this year were organized with special and unprecedented measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
According to the statement, the number of pilgrims last year was more than 15 million but it was lower this year as the Iraqi government allowed a limited number of foreign pilgrims to enter the Arab country for Arbaeen.
Arbaeen, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (AS).
Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.
