Despite Mideast wars, 20 million gather in Iraq for Shia pilgrimagetoggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRKARBALA, IRAQ – In the holy city of Karbala during the commemoration of Arbaeen, the story of the killing of Imam Hussein 1,400 years ago, resonates down through the centuries. toggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRtoggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRSome, like Maryam Ghanbari, showed their devotion by walking 200 miles from the Iranian border. toggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRtoggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRThe festival is commemorated by the world's roughly 200 million mainstream Shia. Two days ago, a stick attached to the large image of Imam Hussein they were carrying broke. toggle caption Mohammed Sawaf for NPRNear the shrine, Mohammad Yasin Ahmadi, 15, has come from the Iranian city of Qom on his second pilgrimage.