Shiite Pilgrimage To Iraq's Imam Moussa al-Kadhim Shrine In Baghdad, June 2012

June 2012 was when thousands of Iraqis took their yearly pilgrimage to the shrine of the Imam Moussa al-Kadhim in Baghdad’s Kadhimiya district. Kadhim was the great grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, and is considered one of the twelve holiest Shiite saints. It is also a dangerous time of the year, because groups like Al Qaeda in Iraq have routinely targeted Shiite events. Despite the re-occurring violence, the religious have been undeterred as they flowed in Kadhimiya in throngs to celebrate one of their revered figures.  

A woman passes a policeman on her way to the al-Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, June 11 (Getty Images)

More pilgrims on June 11 (Getty Images)

Posters of Moqtada al-Sadr (right) and his father Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr (left) lined some of the streets heading towards the shrine showing that the Sadr movement was trying to gain political points from the pilgrimage  (Getty Images)

Women pilgrims are sprayed with water to try to relieve some of the heat during their trip to the shrine (Reuters)

A formal procession towards the shrine held on June 13 (Reuters)

Male pilgrims walk past a soldier in Baghdad June 13 (Getty Images)

Women go through a police checkpoint in Kadhimiya June 13 (Getty Images)

A long procession of pilgrims seen on June 13 (Getty Images)

Security was tight in Baghdad, but could not stop the series of attacks that happened in June (Getty Images)

Throngs of pilgrims outside the shrine June 14 (AP)

Young men perform a ritual as they head towards the shrine June 14 (Getty Images)

Volunteers wash people's feet after their trip to the shrine June 14 (Getty Images)

Along the route to the al-Kadhim shrine are various tents that provide services to the pilgrims like this one where a man was pictured breaking ice to be handed out (Getty Images)

A display of Imam al-Kadhim being poisoned in prison in 799 (Getty Images)

A crowd of mostly women pilgrims outside of the shrine June 14 (Getty Images)

More young men performing rituals outside of the shrine June 15 (Getty Images)

Pilgrims outside of the shrine June 15 (Getty Images)

Members of the security forces standing in front of a large banner with the face of Moqtada al-Sdar on it along the way to the shrine June 15 (Getty Images)

Hundreds of worshipers at the shrine at night June 15 (Reuters)

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Hundreds of people outside of the shrine June 15 (Getty Images)

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(AP)

Men at prayers at the shrine June 15 (Reuters)

People heading towards the shrine June 16 (Reuters)

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A mock funeral being held June 16 for Imam al-Kadhim (Reuters)

(AP)

SOURCES

Associated Press, “Iraq pilgrimage security tight after mortar attack,” 6/11/12

Raheem, Kareem, “Iraq bombs kill 70 Shi’ite pilgrims, police,” Reuters, 6/13/12

Reuters, “Iraq’s al Qaeda claims attacks on Shi’ite pilgrims,” 6/16/12