AhlulBayt News Agency – The Imam Reza (AS) Shrine in Mashhad hosted more than four million visitors during the recent celebrations commemorating the birth anniversary of Imam Reza, the eighth Shia Imam.
The annual event attracts millions of devotees from across Iran and Shia Muslims from around the world. Mohammad Shaban, Deputy for Pilgrim Services at the shrine, stated that the holy site operated at full capacity with the assistance of volunteer groups and service tents, known as moukebs.
"Over the ten-day Karamat celebrations, we welcomed more than four million pilgrims and local residents, providing them with warm meals and refreshments," Shaban noted.
To accommodate the large crowds, special tea stations were installed in four main courtyards—Kosar, Ghadir, Imam Hassan Mojtaba, and Bagh-e-Rezvan—where visitors could enjoy traditional treats.
Offerings included 4.6 million traditional cakes, eight tons of chocolate, 200,000 sandwich strudels, 5,000 coconut pastries, and more than seven million cups of juice and syrup. Additionally, ice cream, fresh fruit, hot breakfasts, and herbal drinks were distributed, particularly during Friday prayers, which coincided with the birth anniversary.
Tea houses at the shrine remained open around the clock, pausing only for shift changes, prayer times, cleaning, and maintenance. Beyond the shrine, 35 moukebs provided three full meals daily—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—to visitors.
Imam Reza’s (AS) birthday was celebrated on Friday, concluding the ten-day festivities that began with the birth anniversary of Hazrat Masoumeh (SA), Imam Reza’s sister.
/129
Your Comment