A senior official in cultural heritage stated that the ritual commemorating the anniversary of the arrival of Fatima Masoumeh (may God have mercy on her), sister of the eighth Shia Imam Imam Reza (peace be upon him), in the Iranian city of Kom has been added to Iran's national intangible cultural heritage list.
Ali Darabi, Deputy Minister for Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, noted that the annual celebration dedicated to Fatima Masoumeh's arrival in Kom is a significant historical and cultural event for the city. Its registration will help preserve the intangible heritage and historical identity of Kom.
According to Darabi, this anniversary falls on Rabi' al-Awwal 23 in the Islamic lunar calendar and is also known as Kom Day. The period between Kom Day and the anniversary of Fatima Masoumeh's death, which is on Rabi' al-Thani 10, is known as Masoumeh Days.
He added that including the ritual in the list will help preserve, document, and pass on this tradition to future generations, while reflecting increased attention to the spiritual and living heritage of local communities.
Darabi explained that adding the ritual to the national intangible cultural heritage list is an effort to immortalize a historical and cultural event and maintain the connection between heritage, identity, and people's daily lives.
The mausoleum of Fatima Masoumeh, the tomb of Fatima bint Musa, is one of the most prominent religious and cultural sites in Kom. This mausoleum serves as an important pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims and attracts a large number of pilgrims and visitors every year. Kom is also recognized as one of the main religious centers of Iran, housing numerous seminaries and religious schools.
According to Darabi, the mausoleum itself was registered in Iran's national heritage list back in 1931 (1310 in the Iranian calendar).