Massive pilgrimage honors Mexico's Virgin of Guadalupe

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholic pilgrims have converged on Mexico City's Basilica of Guadalupe to mark the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patroness.

The faithful ride bicycles, walk or take rickety trucks and buses every Dec. 12 to reach the image of the dark-skinned Virgin, who appeared before indigenous peasant Juan Diego in 1531.

But Tuesday's pilgrimage was overshadowed after 11 people died in a highway accident as they returned from the basilica.

Authorities in the central state of Puebla said the pilgrims were killed Tuesday when the truck they were riding in crashed into another truck on a highway. Thirteen more were injured.

The state's interior department said the pilgrims were headed back to their hometown of Huejotzingo, in Puebla state, when the accident occurred.