Lead story

Annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca was in full swing this year, after being scaled down during pandemic

Editor's note:

The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca was back in full swing this year, after being scaled down during the pandemic. AP’s Religion Team provided crucial journalistic and financial support to Middle East staffers, resulting in outstanding coverage. Highlights included footage from inside the Grand Mosque and from the prayers on Mount Arafat. A series of feature stories began with profiles of Muslim pilgrims from far-flung countries preparing for the Hajj. Other stories looked at Mecca’s year-round residents and Saudi Arabia’s ambitious development plans. For a wrap-up story, AP looked at the thousands of migrant workers who stay behind to clean up after the pilgrims. The AP team in Mecca overcame boiling heat, minimal sleep and movement restrictions enforced by Saudi minders. One of their editors messaged: “You never know what’s going to happen when plans hit reality. Especially when the reality is 45 degrees (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and 2 million people. But you guys really pulled it off!”  

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Photos of the Week: Hajj pilgrimage; Peru Fishermen Day; Eid al-Adha

Water mist is sprayed on Muslim pilgrims as they pray on the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam's five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

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