Despite Mideast wars, 20 million gather in Iraq for Shia pilgrimage

Despite wars ranging across the Middle East, more than 20 million Shia pilgrims gather in Iraq shrine city for Arbaeen festival

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/5760x3840!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2Fa7%2F0c34103744b8ad70c76601c4c874%2F0m4a0488.JPG' alt='Large crowds of pilgrims fill the area between the two holy shrines in Karbala at sunset, with the illuminated dome and minarets of Imam Hussein's shrine visible in the background during the Arbaeen commemoration.'/><p>Despite wars ranging across the Middle East, more than 20 million Shia pilgrims gather in Iraq shrine city for Arbaeen festival</p><p>(Image credit: Mohammed Sawaf for NPR)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=g-s1-137832' />