World News
Millions of Shia pilgrims gather in Karbala for annual Arbaeen pilgrimage
Volunteers and residents provided food and shelter for over 20 million worshippers commemorating Imam Hussein despite extreme summer heat.
The short version
- More than 20 million Shia Muslim pilgrims traveled to Karbala, Iraq, to mark Arbaeen.
- Many attendees walked hundreds of miles to reach the city in summer temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Volunteers and local residents set up hospitality tents and opened their homes to offer free food, water, and lodging to travelers.
Key facts
- Over 20 million Shia Muslims gather annually in Karbala, Iraq, to commemorate Arbaeen, which marks the death of Imam Hussein 14 centuries ago.[NPR]
- Many Iraqi and Iranian pilgrims walked hundreds of miles to Karbala despite August temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit.[NPR]
- Volunteers and local residents provided free meals, water, and housing to pilgrims along highways and near shrine areas.[NPR]
- The pilgrimage featured a higher presence of portraits of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by the United States in February.[NPR]