The Kaduna State Christian Pilgrims Board says that prospective pilgrims will not be allowed to climb Mount Sinai during this year’s pilgrimage.
Rev. Joseph Yari, the agency’s Executive Secretary, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Sunday.
He said that the climbing of Mount Sinai would not be part of the activities lined up for this year’s pilgrimage due to come security challenges in some parts of Israel.
However, Yari said that the Kaduna State Government had given approval to 800 intending pilgrims from the state’s 23 local government areas to embark on the pilgrimage.
He said that the registration of intending pilgrims had stated, while the screening of the pilgrims would commence on Tuesday, Nov. 20, and end on Thursday, Nov. 22.
Stressing that the screening period would not be extended, Yari said: “Intending pilgrims should come to the board with their completed forms, two copies of e-passport and a medical certificate from a government hospital.
“Each of the intending pilgrims should also bring a photocopy of Age Declaration Form, Indigene Certificate and six passport photographs, while married women should attach a letter of consent from their husbands to their documents.’’
However, Yari said that persons who wanted to travel to Rome or Greece for their pilgrimage should come along with four passport photographs with white background for their visa processing.
He said that the age limit for prospective pilgrims to Rome and Greece was 50 years and above, while that for those going to Israel was 30 years and above.
“Once the intending pilgrims are booked for travelling; there won’t be any change of dates for any reason whatsoever.”
Yari also warned that this year, there would not be any refund of payment for prospective pilgrims who were scheduled to travel but refused to travel.
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