Coronavirus: Experience Meccah, a virtual visit to Mecca for lack of pilgrimage

Text by: Nicolas Keraudren Follow

Ramadan started last week for around 2 billion people worldwide. A very particular fast because in many countries, the travel restrictions linked to the Covid-19 epidemic also concern mosques. In Saudi Arabia, the Great Mosque of Mecca, the holiest place in Islam, was almost empty this Friday, April 24. Technology still offers Muslims a new way to visit the holy city.

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from our regional correspondent,

Launched this Friday, April 24 for the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, the Experience Mecca application was developed by the digital agency BSocial whose offices are based in Cairo, Egypt.

Thanks to 3D modeling of the Great Mosque of Mecca, the application allows users to immerse themselves in virtual reality in the holy city. As they walk through the site, they can hear the call to prayer, stand next to the sacred Kaaba and interact with other virtual pilgrims who also visit Mecca.

Recommended virtual reality headset

In the current context, the application offers a valuable alternative to Muslims and also to all the curious. Very fun, it allows you to learn more about the religious procession thanks to information notes scattered throughout the Great Mosque.

Experience Mecca is also available in Arabic and English, which makes it fairly easy to access. It is free to download from the Google Play Store.

But the creator of this application, Ehab Fares, readily admits: "  nothing can replace the physical experience " of Mecca. In addition, to ensure optimal use of this application, users are advised to wear a virtual reality headset. Which is not necessarily accessible to everyone.

Great pilgrimage threatened

However, this application has already won over many users. It must be said that the application is not entirely new. It has already existed since 2017 and has been downloaded almost 200,000 times.

But the version launched Friday - which is the second of its kind - could not have been better. The Great Mosque of Mecca is currently closed to the general public. Beyond the sacred month of Ramadan, the great pilgrimage to the holy city to be held in late July is also threatened. The Saudi minister in charge of the pilgrimage urged Muslim worshipers around the world to "  wait before planning  " their stay.

► Read also: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends the entry of pilgrims into its territory

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