7 Million Pilgrims Expected to Visit Mashhad in Coming Days: Official
Reza Khorakian, the director of the Imam Reza (AS) shrine added that it is a large number of pilgrims serving whom cannot be done by the provincial administration and the Astan Quds Razavi alone but requires national determination.
Speaking in a press conference, Khorakian explained the programs of the Astan Quds Razavi to serve pilgrims in the last ten days of Safar.
The central slogan of Astan Quds Razavi in this period was determined to be “Iran of Imam Reza (AS), a united and victorious nation”, he noted.
This phrase is not just a slogan, but rather a deep and strategic vision that defines the overall approach of the programs and determines the direction of their design and implementation, he added.
In the last ten days of Safar, he said, “we are facing a significant increase in the number of pilgrims. If we consider the number of Nowruz pilgrims or the increase in attendance at the Arbaeen procession, there is a direct correlation between these events and attendance in Mashhad. Accordingly, we have witnessed an increase in pilgrims during these times in recent years.”
Khorakian added that it is expected that this year the number of pilgrims will increase by 10 to 15 percent. “Thus, the last days of this month bring the largest religious gathering of Iranians throughout the year. No other event in the country can compare to this gathering in terms of population, ethnic diversity, and various social and cultural dimensions.”
Stating that about 91,000 people are providing services to pilgrims in the Razavi holy shrine, he said these services guiding, shoe keeping, medical services, law enforcement, cultural services, and other areas.
He said that 754 religious groups under the support and planning of Astan Quds Razavi will perform religious programs at the holy shrine in these days.
Religious groups from all over the country’s provinces, as well as from Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Pakistan, India, Bahrain, and Kuwait, will be present at the holy shrine during these days, he stated.
To facilitate the presence and movement of religious groups and street mourning processions, necessary coordination has been made with security and law enforcement agencies, the official added.
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Also, 280 Moukebs (service stations) will be set up on the routes leading to Mashhad and around the Razavi holy shrine, he went on to say.
The 28th day of the lunar Hijri month of Safar, which falls on Friday, August 22, marks the demise anniversary of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hassan (AS).
The 30th day of the lunar month, August 24 this year, is marked as the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.
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