The large pilgrimage "Hajj", where many Muslims visit Mecca, the sanctuary of Saudi Arabia, celebrates its most important day on the 19th, and the number of people is greatly limited due to the influence of the new coronavirus. Pilgrims prayed.
"Hajj" is a large annual pilgrimage for Muslims to visit Mecca, a sanctuary in western Saudi Arabia, which began on the 18th.
On the 19th, the most important day of pilgrims gathering in the land of Arafat, where the mountain where the Prophet Muhammad was said to have last preached, was celebrated, and the pilgrims dressed in white costumes were masked. And prayed while keeping a distance from each other.
Hajj is attended by more than 2 million people from all over the world every year, but due to the influence of the new coronavirus, the number of participants has been reduced to 60,000, and as in last year, only domestic pilgrims will be accepted. Therefore, vaccination is also a condition for participation.
Hajj is also an important opportunity for Saudi Arabia to earn foreign currency, but according to local journalists, traffic restrictions have been imposed in central Mecca since mid-month, most hotels are closed and restaurants are open. It means that it is quiet.
A man in charge of the hotel told NHK that he was unable to pay his salary due to the effects of regulations for the second consecutive year and had foreign employees retire.