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June 25th, 1981 marks the day the apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje formally began. Though she appeared for the first time on St. John the Baptist's feast day, June 24th, the children who saw her on that day were afraid and ran away. It was on the following day that all the six visionaries saw Mary and were no longer afraid. So June 25th is considered the anniversary date of the apparitions. A book, 'The First Seven Days', by Darko Pavicic, is a firsthand account of the initial week the apparitions began. It is highly recommended.
Unlike a vision or a dream, an apparition is a supernatural, direct appearance (external, sensory, relational) of a Divine Being or Spirit. Some examples in the Bible include God appearing to Moses, “If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses… with him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD.”
The earliest known claim of seeing an apparition of Mary was from St. James the Greater who saw the Virgin Mary while he was preaching on the banks of the Ebro River in Saragossa, Spain in 40 A.D. Today, apparition reports occur more frequently. Some scholars estimate the total number of apparition claims throughout history to be approximately 2,500 (with about 500 of those coming in the 20th century alone). Some of the more well known apparition sites took place in Guadalupe, Mexico (1531), Lourdes, France (1858), Fatima, Portugal (1917), and Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina (1981). The most recently Vatican recognized apparitions are those from Le Laus, France (1664), which were approved in 2008.
Catholic writer and researcher Michael O’Neill, has compiled data on his website ‘Miracle Hunter’. A detailed catalog of Marian apparitions and other miraculous events throughout history is published there. https://miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/index.html
Medjugorje is in the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina which is in the Balkans in Eastern Europe. It is just east of Croatia and if you are on the east side of Italy’s boot, Croatia is right across the Adriatic Sea. It is a village in a valley surrounded by hills and small mountains. It is a two-hour drive from Split, Croatia, where we usually fly into.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was formally Yugoslavia when the apparitions first started. We won’t spend a great deal of time today talking about the political landscape of the country because when you’re there, our guide Zeljka Rozic or Father Sphet will go into great detail, or you can Google Medjugorje’s history quite easily on your own. But in summary, between 1930 to 1989, Yugoslavia was a communist country and in 1992 they declared independence breaking away from Serbia. From 1991 to 1995 the Croatian war broke out, and since the war it’s now a Parliamentary Republic (A parliamentary republic is a type of government that combines a republic with a parliamentary system, where the legislature has the most power.) trying to join the European Union.
Though more freedoms seem to be in effect since the war, there was devastation from the war that as many of you may recall, and on top of the COVID pandemic, these catastrophes still leave a great deal of poverty and social and emotional scars among their people. Miraculously, during the time of the war, Medjugorje was never touched by artillery or any other type of warfare. Another testament to this place being a sacred stronghold. This is were in 1981, the Virgin Mary appeared to six young visionaries.
There are six visionaries, three who see Mary every day since 1981, and three who see her 1x a year and other special occasions granted by God.
The visionaries were all from the village of Medjugorje, and they continue to live between Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as other parts of the world. Some still participate in public speaking and pilgrimages. The six Medjugorje visionaries are Ivanka Ivanković-Elez, Mirjana Dragičević-Soldo, Vicka Ivanković-Mijatović, Ivan Dragičević, Marija Pavlović-Lunetti, and Jakov Čolo.
The visionaries believe they were chosen by the Virgin Mary to communicate her messages to the world. They feel a deep responsibility to share these messages, which center on the themes of peace, faith, prayer, fasting, and reconciliation. They are known for their ongoing connection to the Marian apparitions.
Initially, the visionaries saw Mary on a daily basis, often while in prayer. Over time, the visions evolved: some receive only annual or monthly messages, while others report no longer experiencing visions. Some visionaries report still receiving regular visions or messages from Mary, while others claim their visions have ceased or become less frequent. Vicka, Ivan, and Marija continue to see our Mother on a daily basis at 5:40pm. The other three, Jakov, Mirjana, and Ivanka see Mary on their birthdays each year. Marija receives a monthly message on the 25th of each month, to share with the public.
Scientific Investigations:
A team of doctors, psychiatrists, and neurologists examined the visionaries during several apparitions. They recorded data such as heart rate, brain activity (via EEGs), and physical responses. According to reports, the visionaries exhibited unusual states during the apparitions, such as synchronized gazes, absence of reaction to external stimuli, and altered brainwave patterns typically associated with deep meditation or altered states of consciousness.
Example:
One scientific team, led by French physician Dr. Henri Joyeux and Dr. Luigi Frigerio, conducted tests during apparitions in 1984. They concluded that the visionaries were in a state of consciousness different from ordinary states, such as sleep or hallucination, during their encounters with the Virgin Mary. However, they were unable to explain the cause of these states or verify the supernatural nature of the events.
MORE DETAILS:
Primary interpretations of the most important messages for guidance - Ivan’s perspective on the message’s primary instruction:
Peace, conversation, return to God, prayer with the heart, penance and fasting, strong faith, love, forgiveness, eucharist and hope. She helps us understand these messages better and how to live them better. Our first question was who are you, what is your name. She replied, “I am the Queen of Peace. I come dear children because my son is sending me here to help you. Peace, peace, peace, only peace. Peace must raign throughout the world. Dear Children, peace must reign between God and the world. The world is in danger of destroying itself.” The mother is coming from the King of Peace. Our mother is coming as the Mother of the Church; she wants to encourage and comfort us. She wants to point out what’s not good. She brings a divine cure for our pain. She wants to guide us on the way of Peace and take us to our Son. Only in her Son can we find peace. “Today more than ever, today’s mankind is going through difficult time and the greatest of crisis of all is the distance from God. Today’s humanity is walking away from God; prayer is gone from the families. Family members don’t have time with each other; mother and father don’t have time for each other. So much freedom and infidelity in marriage. Broken and tired families; fall of morality. “Dear children, bring prayer back into the family. Make each of your family into a prayer group; make family the first place and then love and peace will come.” Mary wants to take us to light and hope. She comes as the mother of hope. Do not speak about peace and prayer, but start living the prayer and peace. Dear children I want to see the acts. Today’s world is in a need of spiritual healing; that the world is spiritually sick. The world is in need of spiritual healing, the spiritual recession, not economic. We are in a spiritual coma, and she want’s to wake us up.
Mary of Medjugorje tells us to practice our faith in 5 most meaningful ways. She calls these 5 practrices the "5 Stones" to ward off our "Goliath", which are all core practices of our Catholic faith. 1) Have the Bible in a public place in our homes, read scripture every day and put it into practice. 2) Go to confession 1x a month (though the Church on requires 1x a year). 3) Pray (specifically, she asks us to pray all three Mysteries - Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious). She did not specify the Luminous Mysteries, as Pope John Paul introduced the Luminous Mysteries into the church after she gave this message. 4) Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays every week (though the Church only requires 2x a year). To those who are healthy, She requests on bread and water, but those who are sick choose fasting from anything they are too attached to. 5) The greatest prayer of them all, receive the Eucharist at Mass.
St. Pope John Paul II defines the Rosary in the following way: " The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. (2) It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty of the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary, the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer." For more details on WHAT the Rosary is, and HOW to say the Rosary, read the entire Rosarium Virginis Mariae , written by St. Pope John Paul II.
Coming
Here is the article directly from the Vatican in Rome regarding its support for Medjugorje as of September 2025.
For more details the following will give insight into the Vatican as it relates to apparitions: Out of the many Marian apparitions reported throughout history, only 16 have been fully approved by both local Bishop and the Vatican. It requires a rigorous approval process which involves several stages:
4 Stages
Details on a few approved apparitions and sites:
1. Fatima, Portugal (1917): Visionaries: Three shepherd children, Lúcia dos Santos, and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto.
2. Lourdes, France:
3. Beauraing, Belgium (1932–1933): Visionaries: Five children from Beauraing.
4. Banneux, Belgium (1933): Visionary: Mariette Beco, a 12-year-old girl.
5. Kibeho, Rwanda (1981–1989): Visionaries: Several students, including Alphonsine Mumureke, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka, and Marie Claire Mukangango.
The most recently occurring apparitions with Vatican recognition are those from Kibeho, Rwanda , which ended in 1989, and those still occurring today in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On Sept 24th, 2024, the Vatican published a public statement granting the approval for devotion linked to Medjugorje: The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the assent of Pope Francis, grants approval for devotion linked to Medjugorje, recognizing the abundant spiritual fruits received at the Sanctuary of the Queen of Peace without making a declaration on the supernatural character of the Marian apparitions.
Pope Francis granted approval for Medjugorje devotion:
By Vatican News
"The time has come to conclude a long and complex history that has surrounded the spiritual phenomena of Medjugorje. It is a history in which bishops, theologians, commissions, and analysts have expressed a series of divergent opinions."
Beginning with the words “The Queen of Peace,” the Note about the Spiritual Experience connected with Medjugorje was signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and Monsignor Armando Matteo, respectively Prefect and Secretary for the Doctrinal Section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Pope Francis approved the Note on August 28. It recognizes the goodness of the spiritual fruits linked to Medjugorje, authorizing the faithful to adhere to it – according to the new Norms for discerning these phenomena – since "many positive fruits have been noted in the midst of a spiritual experience, while negative and dangerous effects have not spread among the People of God."
The overall judgment of the messages is generally positive, though several clarifications are offered regarding certain expressions. “It is important to clarify from the outset that the conclusions of this Note do not imply a judgment about the moral life of the alleged visionaries," and, in any case, the spiritual gifts "do not necessarily require those involved to have moral perfection."
Positive fruits
The places linked to the Medjugorje phenomenon have become pilgrimage destinations for people from around the world.
"The positive fruits are most evident in the promotion of a healthy practice of a life of faith, in accordance with the tradition of the Church,” reads the Note.
It recognizes "abundant conversions" of people who have discovered or rediscovered their faith, many people have returned to confession and sacramental communion, and numerous vocations have been confirmed, as well as “many reconciliations between spouses, and the renewal of marriage and family life.”
"It should be noted,” adds the Note, “that such experiences occur above all in the context of pilgrimages to the places associated with the original events rather than in meetings with the ‘visionaries’ to be present for the alleged apparitions."
"Numerous healings" have also been reported. The parish of the small town in Herzegovina has grown into a place of worship, prayer, seminars, spiritual retreats, youth gatherings. "People seem to visit Medjugorje mainly to renew their faith rather than to seek help with specific requests," says the Note.
Charitable works have also emerged, including the care of orphans, drug addicts, and people with disabilities, and the Note points to the presence of Orthodox Christian groups and Muslims at the Sanctuary.
The message of peace
The Dicastery's Note continues by examining the central aspects of the messages, starting with that of peace understood not only as the absence of war but also in a spiritual, familial, and social sense. The most original title that Mary attributes to herself is indeed “Queen of Peace.”
"I have presented myself here as the Queen of Peace to tell everyone that peace is necessary for the salvation of the world. Only in God can you find true joy, which is the source of true peace. Therefore, I ask for conversion" (June 16, 1983).
This peace is the fruit of lived charity, which “also implies a love for those who are not Catholic," an aspect better understood "in the ecumenical and interreligious context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been marked by a terrible war with strong religious components."
God at the center
There is a frequent invitation to confident abandonment to God who is love: “We can see a nucleus of messages in which Our Lady does not place herself at the center but shows herself to be fully directed toward our union with God."
Furthermore, “the intercession and work of Mary are shown to be clearly subordinate to Jesus Christ, who is the author of grace and salvation for every person."
Mary intercedes, but it is Christ who "gives the strength. Therefore, her whole maternal work consists in motivating us to turn to Christ."
"He will give you strength and joy in this time. I am close to you with my intercession" (November 25, 1993).
Additionally, many messages invite the faithful to recognize the importance of seeking the help of the Holy Spirit: "People are wrong when they turn solely to the saints to ask for something. The important thing is to pray to the Holy Spirit to descend upon you. When you have him, you have everything" (October 21, 1983).
Call to conversion
The messages also contain "constant call to abandon a worldly lifestyle and excessive attachment to worldly goods appears in the messages, along with frequent calls for conversion, which makes true peace in the world possible."
Conversion seems to be the focal point of the Medjugorje message. There is also "an insistent exhortation not to underestimate the gravity of evil and sin, and to take very seriously God’s call to fight against evil and the influence of Satan," indicated as the origin of hatred, violence, and division.
Prayer and fasting are also essential to the message of Medjugorje, as well as the centrality of the Mass, the importance of fraternal communion, and the search for the ultimate meaning of existence in eternal life.
Necessary clarifications
The second part of the Note emphasizes how "a few" messages deviate from the content listed so far.
“To prevent this treasure of Medjugorje from being compromised, it is necessary to clarify possible points of confusion that can lead some small groups to distort the valuable proposition of this spiritual experience”.
If some messages are read partially, they may appear connected to "confused human experiences, theologically inaccurate expressions, or interests that are not entirely legitimate," even if some errors may not be "not due to bad intentions, but to the subjective perception of the phenomenon."
“In some cases, Our Lady seems to show some irritation because some of her instructions were not followed. So, she warns about threatening signs and the possibility of no longer appearing".
However, other messages offer a correct interpretation: "Those who make catastrophic predictions are false prophets. They say, ‘In such a year, on such a day, there will be a catastrophe.’ I have always said that chastisement will come if the world does not convert. Therefore, I call everyone to conversion. Everything depends on your conversion" (December 15, 1983).
Insistence on messages
Other messages destined for the local parish sometimes seem as if Mary is seeking to control details of the spiritual and pastoral journey, "giving the impression that she wants to substitute herself for the ordinary parish structures meant for participation."
At other times, Mary insists that everyone listen to and accept her messages, likely provoked by "the love and generous fervor of the alleged visionaries who, with goodwill, feared that the Blessed Mother’s calls for conversion and peace would be ignored.”
This insistence becomes more problematic when the messages "refer to requests that are unlikely to be of supernatural origin, such as when Our Lady gives orders about dates, places, and practicalities and when she makes decisions about ordinary matters."
In reality, Mary herself relativizes such messages by subordinating them to the value of the Word revealed in Scripture: "Do not go in search of extraordinary things. Instead, take the Gospel, read it, and everything will be clear to you" (November 12, 1982); "Why do you ask so many questions? Every answer is in the Gospel" (September 19, 1981); "Do not believe the lying voices that speak to you about false things, a false light. You, my children, return to Scripture!" (February 2, 2018).
Synthesis of the Gospel
The Note says some messages are problematic when they attribute expressions like “my plan” and “my project” to Mary, expressions that "might create some confusion."
“In reality, everything Mary accomplishes is always at the service of the Lord’s plan and His divine plan of salvation,” it says, adding that Christians must never “attribute to Mary a place that belongs uniquely and exclusively to the Son of God made man.”
Instead, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith emphasizes a message that can be considered a synthesis of the Gospel proposal through Medjugorje: "I desire to draw you ever closer to Jesus and his wounded heart" (November 25, 1991).
Authorization of public worship
“While this does not imply a declaration of the supernatural character of the phenomenon in question (cf. Norms, art. 22, §2), and recalling that the faithful are not obliged to believe in it, the nihil obstat [issued by the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno in agreement with the Holy See, ed.] indicates that the faithful can receive a positive encouragement for their Christian life through this spiritual proposal and it authorizes public acts of devotion.”
The Note clarifies that "the positive assessment that most of the messages of Medjugorje are edifying does not imply a declaration that they have a direct supernatural origin."
Even though there are – as is known – various opinions "about the authenticity of some facts or certain aspects of this spiritual experience, the ecclesiastical authorities of the places where it is present are invited to ‘appreciate the pastoral value of this spiritual proposal, and even to promote its spread’.”
However, adds the Note, each diocesan bishop has the freedom and authority to make prudent decisions regarding “groups or persons who, by misusing this spiritual phenomenon, act in a mistaken way” in his own diocese.
Finally, the Dicastery invites pilgrims who visit Medjugorje “to be strongly advised that pilgrimages are not made to meet with alleged visionaries but to have an encounter with Mary, the Queen of Peace.”
Coming
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The most reliable resource, with Ecclesiastical approval, is the Mir website. It provides the most current and accurate information available. The website content is provided in many languages to support the human race globally.
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Spirit of God Community is our non-profit Corporation founded in Washington State. Pilgrims’ Peace Center is the name we are doing business as (dba). But that’s only the tactical part. The Spiritual part is that we are a community of Christians, most of us Roman Catholic, who love people, want to serve the Trinity, and hope to be bearers of peace in the name of Jesus.
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