More than 1.5 million pilgrims have made final preparations to begin Islam's most important ritual - the Hajj - on Wednesday evening.
The Saudi hosts have tried their best to avoid a repeat of last year's situation, as over 1,000 people died as a result of the extreme heat.
With temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, pilgrims have begun performing their first duties near the Kaaba, the black cube at the heart of the Great Mosque of Mecca, a place considered the holiest in the world, according to Islam.
"It seems like you're not in this world," Khitam, 63, said in several responses to the AFP news agency, apparently saying that "before Hajj, I watched the Grand Mosque every day on television."
Before entering Mecca, pilgrims must undergo a purity regime and dress in special white robes.
Authorities have said that over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam, which must be performed at least once in a lifetime by Muslim believers.
Officials have attempted to create as much shade as possible in public spaces, as temperatures last year at this time exceeded 51 degrees Celsius./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
