Millions of Iranian Shiite Muslims mark Shiite Ashura Day

APD NEWS

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Millions of Iranian Shiite Muslims held mourning ceremonies of Ashura Day nationwide on Sunday.

In the capital Tehran, the mourners marched in the streets, chanting religious anthems. Some others stood by the sides of the streets, distributing food, sweets and drinks to the crowd.

Similar ceremonies were held in other Iranian cities and villages where people stopped business and economic activities to participate in public processions for ceremonial chest beating as a display of their devotion to Imam Hussein.

Ashura is the mourning day among Shiites to mark the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was killed and buried in Iraqi city of Karbala in A.D. 680.

Mourners from Iran and some other countries generally clad in black, and took to the streets or gathered in mosques to commemorate the day.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)