muslims - devil stoning ritual?

[christianmomof3]

I just saw this article about this ritual in Saudi Arabia http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_saudi_hajj

I have never heard of that before.

Is that only done in that country?  Is it something done differently in other countries or do you have to be there to do it? Like do people in other areas throw rocks at other walls or do they just skip the whole thing?

thanks

[Liquesce]

It's location specific -- not just to Saudi Arabia, but to that particular site in Saudi Arabia.  It's not really a matter of skipping it or not ... it's a part of the annual pilgrimage, so if one is not partaking in the pilgrimage one does not partake in the rituals thereof.   People who travel to Mecca during hajj walk around the Kaaba (that big black-cloaked cube building), run or walk between two particular hills, drink from a well that holds religious significance, go to pray in another religiously significant area outside of the city, symbolically cast stones as you mentioned, and have a sheep slaughtered.  People who do not travel for the pilgrimage will often have an animal slaughtered for the holiday connected to hajj, but can not partake of the hajj rituals themselves, even if they happen to be in the same city.