One million vaccinated Muslims perform the Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, will start on Wednesday with a million vaccinated Muslims from around the world allowed to take part this year.

In 2019, some 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world participated. But then coronavirus outbreak forced Saudi authorities to dramatically downsize the pilgrimage, and just 60,000 fully vaccinated citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia took part in 2021 up from a few thousands in 2020.

All Muslims are expected to complete the Hajj to Mecca at least once in their life if they have the means to do so.

Believers converge on the holy city for several days of rituals in which they retrace the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) last pilgrimage.