TEHRAN – The Art and Cultural Organization of the Tehran Municipality plans to dedicate courtyards of its cultural centers to Muharram mourning ceremonies amid the pandemic.

“The decision has been made to support the mourning groups across capital while there will be efforts to observe health protocols proposed by the Health Ministry,” the director of the organization, Hojjatoleslam Meisam Amrudi said in a press release on Monday. 

“About 60 cultural centers and culture houses with a capacity of over 20,000 individuals will be dedicated to the groups,” he said.

“One of the main problems in these hard days of coronavirus is to provide large spaces for the mourning ceremonies while observing social distancing,” he added.

Last month, President Hassan Rouhani said that Muharram mourning rituals would be held with observing health protocols and social distancing.

During a meeting of the Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters, Rouhani said that the mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussein (AS) must be held throughout the country gloriously with a precise observation of health protocols.

The president noted that the rituals should be held in a way that it will not give a pretext to the enemies, but make Iran a role model for other countries and Shia who hold mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussein (AS).

During the Muharram rituals, millions of Muslims commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (S).

Photo: Director of Art and Cultural Organization of the Tehran Municipality Hojjatoleslam Meisam Amrudi in an undated photo.

RM/MMS/YAW