EL SALVADOR CITY, Misamis Oriental — A young devotee’s religious fervor took an unexpected turn when she was stung by a scorpion during a pilgrimage to the Divine Mercy complex here on Good Friday morning.
The 15-year-old girl was rushed to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro City after being stung while sleeping inside a tent at the pilgrimage site.
According to a report from the El Salvador City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, the girl was part of a group of pilgrims from Tuluran, Zamboanga del Sur, who camped out near the back gate of the nine-hectare shrine complex.
The report said the girl woke up around 5 a.m. on Good Friday with a swollen arm after being stung by a scorpion. Rescue workers immediately transported her to the hospital for treatment.
The Divine Mercy Shrine is a major pilgrimage destination in Misamis Oriental, attracting thousands of devotees during Holy Week.
Shrine officials estimated around 30,000 pilgrims from various parts of Mindanao visited the site on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
“We’ve prepared based on our experience from previous years,” a statement from the shrine said. “We expect the number of people to rise this Good Friday at around 30,000. The annual increase in visitors highlights the need for tighter security measures.”
The pilgrimage site features a 50-foot statue of Jesus as the Divine Mercy, serving as the focal point of the Divine Mercy Hill.