Iran’s Shiite Muslims commemorate the mourning day of Ashoura with processions
(AP News).
Shiite Muslims in Iran and elsewhere on Tuesday commemorated Ashoura, a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, that gave birth to their faith. Over 1,340 years after Hussein’s death, Tehran and other cities across Iran were adorned with symbols of piety and repentance. Red flags represented Hussein’s blood, black funeral tents and clothes indicated mourning, and processions of chest-beating and self-flagellating men expressed fervor. Some sprayed water over the mourners in the intense heat. Iranian state TV reported that 6 million Iranian pilgrims traveled to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine.