He cited the Arbaeen march and its rituals as one example.

In 2017, Dugin travelled to Iraq during the Arbaeen season to see the annual march for himself.

Following are his observations about the huge procession and what Shia Muslims and Orthodox Christians have in common.

The Arbaeen mourning ceremony is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

It marks the 40th day after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Imam Hussein (AS). This year’s Arbaeen will fall on September 6.

Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.

The pilgrims, mainly from Iraq and Iran, travel long routes on foot to the holy city.

Earlier this month, Iraqi officials expressed their readiness to host up to five million pilgrims from foreign countries during the Arbaeen season.

4165722