Tehran, YJC. Pilgrims from all over Iran and neighbor countries are gathering in the holy city of Mashhad, northeastern Iran, to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza, the 8th Shia Imam.
Deputy governor general of Khorasan Razavi province Mohammad Hassan Vahedi said in interview with Tasnim News Agency that something about 2.7 million pilgrims have arrived in the city to mark the sad occasion.
He pointed out that over 80 thousand mourners have arrived in the holy city on foot, as a move to show their devotion to the 8th Imam.
The pilgrims attend mourning ceremonies at Imam Reza’s holy shrine until Tuesday, which is the day of the Imam Reza’s martyrdom anniversary.
Other mourning rituals are also going to be held elsewhere in Iran on Tuesday to mark the occasion.
Imam Reza was martyred after being poisoned by the Abbasid Caliph Ma’mun in the year 818 AD.
Every year, Imam Reza’s holy shrine in Mashhad attracts nearly 30 million pilgrims from Iran and other countries, especially neighbor countries with Shia population, such as Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon and Pakistan.