New Year prayer, devotion and unity fill Imam Reza Shrine

Worshippers filled the courtyards and halls of Imam Reza Shrine, northeast Iran, during the final sunset of Ramadan (the 9th month on the lunar calendar). 
They arrived hours before the evening prayers, spending the time in quiet recitation, reflection, and anticipation of the year’s turning moment.
After evening prayers, pilgrims remained in their rows as families recited verses from the holy Quran, children sat close to their parents, and elderly visitors whispered soft supplications. A shared atmosphere of serenity, gratitude, and hope gradually took shape across the expansive courtyards.
As the moment of the New Year (Nowruz) approached, the collective prayer grew stronger. The recitation of Tawassul supplications unified thousands of participants as tears, uplifted hands, and murmured invocations filled the air.
Devotional performances added to the emotional intensity of the evening, with choir performing hymns dedicated to Imam Reza and songs expressing unity and national affection.
 Their rendition of “O’ Iran” hymn moved many to join hands and sing together, followed by the powerful echo of “Salute, Commander”, which spread across the gathering in a wave of collective emotion.
At the exact instant of the New Year’s arrival, pilgrims raised their hands in prayer, families embraced, and gratitude appeared on countless faces as the sound of salawat moved rhythmically through the courtyards. 
Soon after, worshippers formed new rows to perform the first prayer of the year beside the illuminated mausoleum of Imam Reza. 
For many, beginning the year in this sacred space symbolized a longing for renewed peace, spiritual grounding, and a hopeful path forward. 
The gathering reaffirmed Imam Reza Shrine as a place where countless people seek to begin the year with unity, reflection, and shared devotion.