In pictures: The Hajj 2020 in “social distancing” mode

From the Holy City of Makkah in Saudi Arabia, we are presented with unprecedented images of Hajj, on which we can see what seems, in comparison to other years, to be a handful of pilgrims performing the ritual of the seven towers around the Kaaba.

As we wrote yesterday, this year the great pilgrimage of Muslims to Makkah is taking place in a very reduced version. Some 1,000 pilgrims are allowed to go to the Holy City to perform the Hajj rituals (such as the seven rounds around the Kaaba, the holy of holies for Muslims).

This gives rise to images never before seen. Usually about 3 million people visit the site and crowd into the Great Mosque, sometimes at the expense of security. This year, no large crowds, no jostling, but a special attention to health instructions and a strict respect of the protocol of social distancing. Pictures to discover below!