Iranians hold mass gathering in shrine city of Mashhad to mark Imam Mahdi birth anniversary

The gathering, dubbed “those waiting for the Zuhur – appearance – of Imam Mahdi”, was held at the shrine of the Imam’s great grandfather Imam Reza, the 8th Shia Imam.

The ceremony marked festivities and prayers for the appearance of Imam Mahdi.

The birth anniversary of the Imam in the middle of the Muslim calendar month of Sha’ban is one of the most important events on the calendar and is marked in Iran and other Muslim countries every year.