Ritual marking anniversary of Fatima Masumehs arrival in Qom added to national heritage list

Ritual marking anniversary of Fatima Masumeh’s arrival in Qom added to national heritage list

TEHRAN – The ritual marking the anniversary of the arrival of Fatima Masumeh (S.A.), sister of the eighth Shia Imam, Imam Reza (A.S.), in the Iranian city of Qom has been inscribed on the national list of Iran’s intangible cultural heritage, a senior cultural heritage official said.

Ali Darabi, deputy minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, said the annual observance commemorating Fatima Masumeh’s arrival in Qom has been an important historical and cultural event for the city and that its registration would contribute to safeguarding Qom’s intangible heritage and historical identity.

The anniversary falls on 23 Rabi al-Awwal in the Islamic lunar calendar and has also been designated as Qom Day. The period between Qom Day and the anniversary of Fatima Masumeh’s death on 10 Rabi al-Thani is known as the Masumeh Days, Darabi said.

He added that the inscription would help preserve, document and transmit the tradition to future generations, while reflecting greater attention to the living and spiritual heritage of local communities.

“Registering the ritual on the national list of intangible cultural heritage is an effort to commemorate a historical and cultural event and preserve the connection between heritage, identity and the everyday life of people,” Darabi explained.

The Fatima Masumeh Shrine, the mausoleum of Fatima bint Musa, is one of the most prominent religious and cultural landmarks in Qom.

The shrine is an important pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims and draws large numbers of pilgrims and visitors each year. Qom is also one of Iran’s major religious centers and is home to numerous seminaries and religious schools.

The shrine was itself registered on Iran’s national heritage list in 1931 (1310 in the Iranian calendar), according to Darabi.

AM

source: tehrantimes.com