Shiite Muslims observe Ashura
Iranian Shiites cover themselves with mud during Ashura, marking the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, at the city of Bijar, west of the capital Tehran, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Hussein, one Shiite Islam's most beloved saints, was killed in a 7th century battle at Karbala, Iraq.
Lebanon
Shiite Muslims observe Ashura, a day of mourning which means "tenth" in Arabic, through rituals such as martyrdom reenactments and self-flagellation.
Most observers wear black and march through the streets chanting and hitting themselves in the chest and some still make small gashes to their heads to ritually punish their bodies.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites beat themselves with chains and blades in a ritual ahead of the Ashura holiday outside the Abul Fazel Shrine in Kabul, Nov. 10, 2013.
At this shrine two years ago during the same celebration, a suicide bomber killed scores of worshippers.
Lebanon
A Lebanese Shiite smokes a cigarette as he bleeds from his head from self-inflicted wounds, during Ashura in the southern market town of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
Iranian mourners cover themselves with mud during Ashoura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites perform the Ashura rituals of beating themselves, in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, Nov. 14, 2013.
Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon
A Shiite Muslim boy bleeds after gashing his forehead with a sword during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatieh, Lebanon, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
Iranian mourners cover themselves with mud during Ashura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
Iranian Shiites cover themselves with mud during Ashura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites mourn a day ahead of Ashura at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 13, 2013.
Iran
Iranian Shiites cover themselves with mud during Ashura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
An Iranian Shiite is covered in mud during Ashura rituals, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites beat themselves with chains and blades to mark Ashura outside the Abul Fazel Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
Iranian Shiites cover themselves with mud during Ashura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites beat themselves with chains and blades to mark Ashura outside the Abul Fazel Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iraq
Shiite worshippers run between the holy shrines of Imam Abbas and Imam Hussein during Ashura in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, 50 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iraq
Iraqi Shiite faithful worshippers re-enact the seventh century battle of Karbala during the festival of Ashura in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2013.
Iran
Iranian Shiites cover themselves with mud during Ashura, in Bijar, Iran, Nov. 14, 2013.
Afghanistan
Afghan Shiites beat themselves with chains and blades to mark Ashura outside the Abul Fazel Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 14, 2013.