A group of 11 Romanian pilgrims who were visiting Greece‘s Orthodox all-male monastic community of Mount Athos have been hospitalized with food poisoning after consuming wild mushrooms during a hike, according to Greek officials. The incident occurred in the semi-autonomous community located in northern Greece. Fortunately, none of the men’s lives are at risk, and they are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Halkidiki and Thessaloniki.
The group had been staying at the skete, a smaller community under the jurisdiction of a monastery, specifically St. Anne’s skete. They embarked on an overnight hike up the mountain where they collected and ate wild mushrooms for dinner on Tuesday. However, shortly after consuming them, they fell ill. Despite their condition, they managed to return to the skete early Wednesday before being transported to hospitals for medical attention.
While many types of wild mushrooms are safe for consumption, it is crucial to possess extensive knowledge and expertise in order to differentiate between edible varieties and poisonous ones. This is because numerous toxic fungi closely resemble harmless species.
Mount Athos and its medieval monasteries hold great appeal for pilgrims from various Orthodox regions worldwide.