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Published 22:28 IST, August 2nd 2020

Saudi Arabia: Pilgrims circle the Kaaba for the last day of Hajj

Saudi Arabia's Hajj pilgrims walked around the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca on Sunday, as part of the last rites of passage for the yearly pilgrimage.

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Saudi Arabia's Hajj pilgrims walked around the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca on Sunday, as part of the last rites of passage for the yearly pilgrimage.

Worshippers followed markings on the ground and wore face masks to comply with coronavirus restrictions.

The Hajj pilgrimage has been drastically impacted by the pandemic.

Last year, some 2.5 million pilgrims took part, but this year as few as 1,000 pilgrims already residing in Saudi Arabia were allowed to perform the Hajj.

The last days of Hajj coincide with the four-day Eid al-Adha, or "Feast of Sacrifice," in which Muslims slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.

But the pandemic has pushed millions of people around the world closer to the brink of poverty, making it harder for many to fulfill the religious tradition of purchasing livestock.

22:28 IST, August 2nd 2020