In a world filled with devout worshippers, who would have thought that even poisonous snakes embark on a pilgrimage with a determination rivaling that of humans?
On a small island in ancient Greece, people lived peacefully and freely. However, tranquility was shattered by a sudden disaster when a group of bandits attacked the island and imprisoned the young and beautiful nuns. In a miraculous turn, the Virgin Mary intervened to protect these pure nuns by transforming them into poisonous snakes. The bandits fled in fear, but the nuns could never return to their original forms. To repay the Virgin Mary's kindness, these snakes gather annually on the days when Greeks commemorate God and the Virgin Mary, making a pilgrimage to this small island. They emerge from their homes and crawl to the front of two churches, coiling there for over ten days before departing.
It is said that these snakes are venomous, yet they coexist peacefully with the island's residents, never harming them. The locals even dare to touch them or wrap them around their bodies, believing that this can ward off evil, cure ailments, and bring safety. However, a puzzling question remains: why do the snakes choose to pilgrimage on important Greek holidays? How do they know these dates? Is it possible that the churches emit a special scent during these days that attracts them? Even more strangely, each of these pilgrimage snakes bears a mark resembling a cross on their heads. Could it be that they emit sounds recognizable to their kind, allowing them to gather in groups for this pilgrimage?
The phenomenon of snakes congregating is not unheard of; during mating season, thousands of snakes flock to specific locations for competition and reproduction. The 'snake pilgrimage' on the Greek island may very well be a variant of this 'mating festivity.'
