Official end of pilgrimage to Mecca

The hajj, the annual fiveday Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, is officially over.

Khalid al-faisal, governor of Mecca, announced the end of the pilgrimage at a news conference in the holy city yesterday.

The hajj draws people from around the world each year. The crowds squeeze shoulder to shoulder in prayer five times a day, filling Mecca and surrounding areas to perform physically demanding and intricate rites.

The pilgrimage is required once in a lifetime of all Muslims with means to go. Its goal is remission of past sins and drawing Muslims closer to God.