'Mask Pilgrimage' Ends in Mecca, Saudi Arabia Amid 50-Degree Heatwave

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest Islamic religious event, the regular pilgrimage (Haji), concluded on the 2nd (local time) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

On this day, pilgrims performed the ritual of throwing seven pebbles at the pillars symbolizing evil, and completed the pilgrimage by performing the 'Tawaf,' which involves circling the Islamic shrine Kaaba in the Grand Mosque of Mecca. Haji is a large-scale event that gathers about 2.5 million Muslims worldwide every year, but due to COVID-19, the Saudi government limited the number of pilgrims to about 1,000 residents, both domestic and foreign, living in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi government and others considered canceling this year's Haji, but taking into account that it is the largest Islamic event, they proceeded by reducing the number of participants and strengthening quarantine measures.

Pilgrims had to wear masks throughout the approximately five-day pilgrimage period despite temperatures nearing 50°C. They also arrived in Mecca after self-isolating for a week and stayed in designated hotels for quarantine in Mecca. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj divided pilgrims into groups of 50 and had them perform the pilgrimage rituals sequentially under the guidance of health personnel responsible for each group to prevent crowding.

As of the 2nd, the Saudi Ministry of Health announced that no cases of COVID-19 infection had been reported among the pilgrims.

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