Mahdi Lesani, director of non-Iranian pilgrims affairs at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), said the English-language program, titled “Cheshmeh Rezvan”, was designed to provide international pilgrims with greater access to the shrine’s cultural and religious activities.
The first gathering was held at the holy shrine on the eve of Tasu’a and featured a religious speech along with elegies and mourning recitations in tribute to Imam Hussein (AS) and his loyal companions.
Lesani said the initiative sought to strengthen engagement with non-Iranian visitors and added that after the first ten days of Muharram, the program is planned to continue on a monthly basis to enable English-speaking pilgrimage groups to take part regularly in the shrine’s spiritual programs.
Alongside the English-language ceremony, mourning programs were also organized for pilgrims and mourners from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Arab countries.
According to the official, special mourning ceremonies for non-Iranian pilgrims had been held since the beginning of Muharram in Arabic, Urdu, and Azeri languages across different sections of the shrine.
The programs included religious lectures, mourning recitations, pilgrimage rituals, and cultural gatherings aimed at introducing foreign pilgrims to the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and the culture of Ashura.
The shrine also continues receiving registered pilgrimage caravans under the “Ziyarat Rezvan” initiative.