Hawzah News Agency - On the eve of the New Year, Astan Quds Razavi is preparing to host pilgrims of Imam Reza (AS) holy shrine by observing social distancing and other health protocols like before.

Mohammad Tavakkoli, Imam Reza (AS) Holy Shrine’s deputy in charge of holy sites said: “Due to the prevalence of coronavirus, AQR’s Nowruz plans for the year 1400 AH, planned six month earlier, are different from previous years.”

He pointed out that according to written and oral statements of national and provincial officials, during the last 14 months that the country has been fighting with the pandemic, health protocols in the holy shrine have been fully observed.”

According to him, the New Year’s programs will be broadcast on IRIB channels and through cyberspace for the attention of all Imam Reza (AS) devotees in Iran and around the world. “Since there will also be in-person visits, AQR will double healthcare measures such as social distancing, distributing masks and using disinfectants in coordination with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.”

The programs will start at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 20, and will continue with the congregational prayer, tawashih (chorus recitation of religious texts) and chanting, until performing New Year prayers at 13:07:27. In this ceremony, in addition to the holy shrine, visitors will be hosted at sanctuaries and the surrounding streets, where they will be able to watch the holy dome and the New Year countdown program anywhere in the holy shrine on widescreen TVs.

According to him, during this year, AQR servants have continuously participated in training classes to learn how to better observe health protocols and by the end of the year, the number of participants in these courses will hit 30,000.