Millions of Pilgrims Flood Karbala for Arbaeen Pilgrimage — Photo Gallery

Millions of Shiite Muslim pilgrims are converging on the Iraqi holy city of Karbala for Arbaeen, one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings. Many travel on foot for days, while others arrive from neighboring countries such as Iran, crossing border checkpoints before continuing toward the city’s sacred shrines.

The Pilgrimage Route

Along established routes to Karbala, volunteers set up temporary stations offering food, water, shade and simple shelter to those undertaking the journey. These grassroots support networks — run by local communities, charities and religious groups — are a hallmark of the event and help sustain the long procession of worshippers.

What Arbaeen Commemorates

Arbaeen occurs 40 days after Ashoura and commemorates the 680 A.D. martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, during the Battle of Karbala. Imam Hussein’s death is a defining moment in Shiite Islam and is remembered with mourning rituals and acts of devotion.

Rituals and Holy Sites

The pilgrimage culminates at the Imam Hussein Shrine and the nearby Imam Abbas Shrine, where millions gather to pray and perform devotional rituals. Common practices include chest-beating in mourning (matam), communal prayers, and touching or reaching toward the shrines as acts of reverence.

Photo Gallery: This gallery of images captures the scale, devotion and human moments of Arbaeen and has been curated by Associated Press photo editors.