Eight Die as Millions Visit Mexico Shrine
MEXICO CITY — At least eight people died and 15 were injured as millions of Roman Catholics flocked to Mexico City on Thursday, some crawling on bloodied knees, to pay their annual tribute to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
A 60-year-old Mexican who had come from his home in the United States, identified as Juan Bautista Galindo, died after suffering a heart attack just three blocks before reaching the vast modern basilica devoted to the Virgin, police said.
A 12-year-old boy, Miguel Angel Castillo, died when his bicycle was hit by a bus near the shrine, authorities said. Six pilgrims died early Thursday and 15 were injured when their bus collided with a truck on the highway linking the capital to the central city of Puebla.
Authorities said they expected up to 6 million faithful to make the pilgrimage to Mexico’s most venerated shrine between Thursday and Sunday.
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