The present study was conducted with the aim of achieving a phenomenological understanding of the lived experience of the mourners who participated in the funeral procession of Ayatollah Khamenei in July 2026. This event, as one of the most populous mourning rituals in contemporary Iranian history, constitutes an unparalleled occurrence not only quantitatively but also in terms of its sociological and political implications. The research is designed based on the interpretive-phenomenological paradigm, employing a qualitative method and a hermeneutic phenomenological strategy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 participants (14 men and 14 women) from 12 provinces of the country who were present at the funeral ceremony held at the Tehran Mosalla (prayer ground), and were analyzed using thematic analysis within the framework of Braun and Clarke's six-phase model. The findings were formulated into four main themes: "Existential Rupture and Shock" (collapse of the lifeworld and crisis of meaning), "Liminality and Collective Effervescence" (dissolution of the individual into the collective and the sacralization of the body), "Charisma Transfer and Re-bonding" (emotional covenant with the successor and internalization of charisma), and "Relic Economy" (materialization of the sacred in objects). The analysis of the findings in light of three theoretical lenses—Durkheim (collective effervescence and collective conscience), Weber (charismatic authority and routinization), and Turner (rites of passage and liminality)—indicates that the funeral of July 2026 functioned as a "national rite of passage," during which Iranian society, through the emotional management of the succession crisis, transitioned from mourning to a new covenant, thereby achieving the continuity of social solidarity and political legitimacy. By emphasizing the role of collective rituals and the economy of emotions in the reproduction of political legitimacy, this research fills the gap in previous studies, which have predominantly focused on individual traits and macro-level functions.