Number of Arbaeen Pilgrims in Iraq Tops 16 Million
The Astan (custodianship) of the holy shrine of Hazrat Abbas (AS) in a statement on Tuesday expressed condolences on Arbaeen to Imam Zaman (may God hasten his glad advent), Shia sources of emulation and the Muslim world.
It said that more than 16,327,000 pilgrims had entered Karbala from different directions by Tuesday.
The statement added that Karbala has been hosting the pilgrims of Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) for 13 centuries and its people and the custodians of the holy mausoleums consider serving the pilgrims as a source of honor.
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 from Iraq and other countries flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.
