



Hundreds of Shia Muslims gathered in Piraeus, Saturday, October 24, to commemorate the holy day of Ashura, mourning the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (the founder of Islam).

The ritual is special and different from the cult celebrations of Sunni Muslims, as followers of Shia Islam choose to express their sorrow for the massacre of Muhammad’s grandson during the Battle of Karbala through self-flagellation, to the point of bleeding, while being shirtless and barefoot.

During the Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali, which is a national holiday, people self-inflict pain in order to experience the physical pain and agony of Husayn’s mutilation.

For this reason, people of all ages gathered at the Greek port city covering their faces with mud and grieving, reciprocating simultaneously their love for their Prophet Muhammad.



