Saudi Arabia has announced that it will allow up to 1 million people join the hajj pilgrimage this year.
The Hajj Ministry "has authorized one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the hajj this year," it said in a statement.
Saudi authorities had drastically restricted the number of people allowed to join the pilgrimage after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2020, only 1,000 pilgrims were permitted to participate. And last year, that number was raised to 60,000.
This year's hajj will take place in July. The ministry's announcement on Saturday said that the pilgrimage will be limited to fully vaccinated people under age 65.
Those coming from outside Saudi Arabia will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel.
The government wants to promote pilgrims' safety "while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform the hajj," the statement said.
