President Ahmadinejad participated in the massive mourning ceremony at Hazrat Abdolazim Hassani (AS) Shrine in the city of Ray, South of Tehran, on Thursday morning.
Meantime, tens of millions took part in massive processions across Iran on Sunday, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved leaders.
Dressed in mourning black, they beat their chests with bare hands and lashed their shoulders with iron chains - rituals meant to show their grief over the death of Imam Hossein (AS), grandson of Islam's Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and third Imam.
Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the occasion climaxed sunday, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Moharram.
Imam Hossein was martyred after he flatly refused to give allegiance to the oppressive Umayyad caliph, Yazid.
His martyrdom took place on the tenth of the Muslim month of Muharram, known as Aashoura, in 680 AD.
He was martyred along with 72 of his loyal companions in the tragic massacre at Karbala.
President Ahmadinejad participated in the massive mourning ceremony at Hazrat Abdolazim Hassani (AS) Shrine in the city of Ray, South of Tehran, on Thursday morning.
Meantime, tens of millions took part in massive processions across Iran on Sunday, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved leaders.
Dressed in mourning black, they beat their chests with bare hands and lashed their shoulders with iron chains - rituals meant to show their grief over the death of Imam Hossein (AS), grandson of Islam's Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and third Imam.
Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the occasion climaxed sunday, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Moharram.
Imam Hossein was martyred after he flatly refused to give allegiance to the oppressive Umayyad caliph, Yazid.
His martyrdom took place on the tenth of the Muslim month of Muharram, known as Aashoura, in 680 AD.
He was martyred along with 72 of his loyal companions in the tragic massacre at Karbala.