One million begin hajj in largest Islamic pilgrimage since pandemic
One million pilgrims from around the world gathered in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to perform the initial rites of the hajj, marking the largest Islamic pilgrimage since the coronavirus pandemic curtailed the annual event.
The hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims physically and financially able to make the journey, which directs the faithful along a path taken by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.
