Priest Prays Through Pereira Streets with Virgin Mary Icon for City's Earthquake Recovery

In the Colombian city of Pereira, Father Nelson Giraldo Mejía is walking through the streets, carrying a replica of the "Virgen de la Pobreza" (Virgin of Poverty), the city's patron saint. He is praying for the capital of Risaralda department to recover from the devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook Colombia last Monday.

Clad in the alba he wears for Mass, Father Giraldo holds the image in one hand and a rosary in the other. He walks through the desolate city center, where streets remained closed on Friday to facilitate debris removal, offering prayers for his city. "I am praying for the entire city with a replica of the image of Our Lady of Poverty, patroness of Pereira," he told EFE.

"Let us not lose hope, let us all have the confidence that with strength, with wisdom, with intelligence we can move forward," Giraldo expressed. Some of the workers involved in clearing the rubble have joined him in prayer. The priest has been dedicating several days to praying in various streets, particularly those most impacted by the powerful earthquake.

According to the latest figures from Colombian authorities, the earthquake has resulted in 285 deaths, 379 missing persons, 3,975 injuries, and the destruction of 12,828 homes. The epicenter of the 7.4 magnitude quake, as reported by the Colombian Geological Service, was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, one of the country's most neglected regions. In Pereira alone, President Abelardo de la Espriella stated on Friday that there have been 94 fatalities, 259 injuries, and 140,000 people from 41,600 families affected. These figures contrast with earlier reports from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, which placed the number of affected individuals nationwide at 102,262 from 45,523 families.