9, August 2019
More than two million Muslims begin Hajj pilgrimage 0
Muslims gathered from around the globe in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia have begun this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
According to local media, about 2.5 million believers are participating in the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which started on Friday.
Each and every able-bodied Muslim, male or female, is required to complete the religious trip at least once in their lifetime if they also have the sufficient financial capacity to do so.
The nearly month-long pilgrimage features various rites, including stoning a column representing the devil, sacrificing sheep in remembrance of Prophet Abraham’s offered sacrifice, and Tawaf, which consists of walking and praying around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
‘An indescribable feeling’
“It’s an indescribable feeling. You have to live it to understand it,” said an Algerian pilgrim describing his first time taking part in the spiritual trip.
“It’s a golden opportunity and moment,” said his female companion.
The gathering is also seen as a symbol of Muslim unity, with all participants required to wear a simple and identical outfit during the processions.
The clothing consists of a two-piece white seamless garment for men, and a loose cover-all dress for women.
Muslim scholars have pointed that the simple attire, along with other aspects of the pilgrimage, are meant to express unity and the humility of the Muslim Ummah — the Muslim people as a whole — towards God.
The pilgrimage ends with the start of Eid al-Adha, also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice”.
Saudis fear political opposition
This year’s Hajj takes place as the country is marred in a number of conflicts with its neighbors and faces the prospect of popular expressions of discontent.
The kingdom’s push to normalize relations with Israel and further isolate the Palestinian cause in taking part in the US-backed so-called “deal of the century” has been specifically met with anger in many Muslim countries.
Saudi officials have consequently warned pilgrims to avoid any political topics during the pilgrimage, despite the belief held by many Islamic scholars that the Hajj is in fact intended to be an opportunity for Muslims to discuss social and political issues affecting the Ummah.
“Leave all other matters in your countries to discuss,” said Mecca Governor Prince Khalid al-Faisal earlier this week.
Riyadh has also faced strong criticism for its mismanagement of the Hajj specifically after thousands of pilgrims died in a tragic human crush incident in 2015.
Saudi authorities gave an initial tally of 770 deaths and then stopped updating that figure, even as official counts from individual countries whose nationals had died in the incident rose to more than a total of 2,400 individuals, reaching nearly 5,000 deaths according to some reports.
At least 464 Iranians lost their lives in the incident.
Source: Presstv
3, September 2019
The Holy Father’s visit to Indian ocean nations 0
Pope Francis’ visit to the African nations of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius, will feature some interesting highlights as the head of the Catholic Church continues to show solidarity with people living in difficult conditions.
The Sept. 4-10 trip will take him to the capitals of the three countries, Maputo, Antananarivo and Port Louis.
Mozambique
The pope recorded a video message in Portuguese for the people of Mozambique ahead of his tour.
The pope will regrettably not visit the city of Beira which was hit by the devastating Cyclone Idai killed at least 600 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless in March.
“I was hoping the pope would come and walk on Beira’s soil,” 45-year-old Maria da Paz told AFP, while taking comfort in the fact that some victims of the disaster would be in Maputo to meet the pontiff.
The pope, in his video message, anticipated the disappointment.
“Although I am unable to go beyond the capital, my heart reaches out to all of you, with a special place for those of you who live in difficult situations,” he said, adding: “You are all in my prayers.”
Madagascar
In Madagascar, the pope will celebrate mass with one of his former students, Father Pedro Opeka.
Opeka studied theology under the future pope in their native Argentina before dedicating his life to building communities for the families of Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest nations.
“The pope is coming to tell people to keep fighting for those who are forgotten,” he said.
“The pope will comfort them.”
Over the last 50 years, an organisation founded by Opeka has built homes for 25,000 people, 100 schools, six clinics and two football stadiums. Next year they will build a college for paramedics.
The 82-year-old leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics will also visit the presidential palace and a seminary.
“We have prepared for 800,000 people to turn out at the great mass celebrated by the pope” on the diocesan grounds of Soamandrakizay, said Gabriel Randrianantenaina, coordinator of the local episcopal conference.
Local organisers have cleared 60 hectares (150 acres) of land for the event in the north of the capital Antananarivo.
The pope will also travel in a locally-made vehicle, made by a Madagascar company called Karenjy.
“It’s with great joy that we present you the popemobile,” the apostolic nuncio, or Vatican envoy, to the island, Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, told the press ahead of the visit.
“Pope Francis will be delighted to visit Madagascar in this car.”
Mauritius
Pope Francis will end his tour with a brief stay in the relatively prosperous and stable Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar, where the local Catholic community plans to plant 200,000 trees in his honour.
While Mauritius is around 50 percent Hindu it has a substantial Christian minority of about 30 percent, most of whom are Catholic.
Agencies