A group of 11 Romanian pilgrims visiting Mount Athos in Greece’s Orthodox all-male monastic community are in the hospital with food poisoning after eating wild mushrooms during a hike. The pilgrims had been staying at the skete of St. Anne and went on an overnight hike up the mountain where they gathered and consumed the mushrooms for dinner on Tuesday. They fell ill afterwards and sought treatment at hospitals in Halkidiki and Thessaloniki.
Authorities in Mount Athos confirmed that none of the men’s lives were in danger. While many wild mushrooms are edible, it can be difficult to distinguish them from poisonous varieties. The pilgrims were taken to hospital for treatment after making their way back to the skete on Wednesday.
Mount Athos, with its late medieval monasteries, is a popular destination for Orthodox pilgrims, but women have always been banned from entering the 1,000-year-old community. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of caution when foraging for wild mushrooms. This news comes following recent events in Mount Athos, highlighting the safety and health risks associated with consuming wild mushrooms without proper knowledge and expertise.
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Photo credit wtop.com
