Thousands attend Senegal Pilgrimage Despite COVID-19

Tens of thousands of Muslims descended upon Senegal’s holy city this week for the annual Grand Magal pilgrimage, a tradition in West Africa that some fear could become a super-spreader event for COVID-19.

The Magal honors the founder of the Mouride Brotherhood, Senegal’s most influential religious order. In previous years, as many as 3 million people have traveled to the city of Touba during Magal, with many coming from neighboring Gambia.

With Senegal’s land borders still closed, fewer pilgrims attended the main events Tuesday. Closely packed lines queued up to enter the Grand Mosque of Touba, though hand sanitizer and masks were required to enter.

Mam Thierno, 41, has lived in Italy for nearly a decade but chose to travel home to Senegal for Magal even amid the pandemic, calling it a deeply moving experience for him and his family.

“To go a year without Magal would be too much for me,” he said. “With the pandemic there are people who say we shouldn’t hold the Magal in Touba … I know the disease is here, COVID-19 exists, but I still came.”

Senegal was among the first African countries to report a confirmed COVID-19 case but has avoided the high death tolls seen elsewhere, in large part due to widespread required mask-wearing and restrictions on travel.

Wearing protective masks, women stand in line to enter the Grand Mosque of Touba as they take part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, stand in line as they wait to enter in a mausoleum of a religious leader, at Grand Mosque of Touba as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective masks, pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, pray in the Grand Mosque of Touba as they take part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective mask, a pilgrim from the Mouride Brotherhood, prays in the Grand Mosque of Touba as he takes part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective mask, a pilgrim from the Mouride Brotherhood, reads a book with poems written by Cheikh Amadou Bamba as he stands in line to enter at Grand Mosque of Touba as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, pray in the Grand Mosque of Touba as they take part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood sing poems written by Cheikh Amadou Bamba outside the Grand Mosque of Touba as they take part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Volunteers distribute big dishes of traditional senegalese food to pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, outside the Grand Mosque of Touba, as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A man cuts an ox in pieces after slaughtering it on a street, in preparation for a feast as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

People cut an ox in pieces after slaughtering it on a street, in preparation for a feast during the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood share a big dish of traditional senegalese food, distributed by volunteers, outside the Grand Mosque of Touba, as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

In this aerial photo taken with a drone, pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood arrive at the Grand Mosque of Touba during the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Holding their shoes in paper packets, pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, stand in line as they wait to enter in a mausoleum of a religious leader, at Grand Mosque of Touba as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective masks, pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood pray outside the Grand Mosque of Touba during the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective mask, a girl looks at the camera, as she stands in line to enter the Grand Mosque of Touba as part of the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective masks, young pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood, stand in line to enter at Grand Mosque of Touba as they take part in the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, are gathering for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Wearing protective masks, pilgrims from the Mouride Brotherhood queue to enter the Grand Mosque of Touba during the celebrations of the Grand Magal of Touba, Senegal, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people from the Mouride Brotherhood, an order of Sufi Islam, gather for the annual religious pilgrimage to celebrate the life and teachings of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the founder of the brotherhood. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)