Pilgrims in Iraq’s Basra Begin Arbaeen March
According to the website of the Astan (custodianship) of Imam Hussein (AS) holy shrine, men, women and even young children are now on the road taking part in the annual Arbaeen march.
The people of Basra usually begin the march earlier than those in other cities like Najaf.
They will walk 520 kilometers to reach Kabala on the day of 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 Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.
Many of them walk all the way from Najaf to Karbala and some from other cities.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Baghdad decided to bar all foreign pilgrims from visiting Iraq for last year’s Arbaeen.
This year, Arbaeen falls on September 27.
