Medjugorje

Medjugorje — in Croatian it is pronounced Medyugori — is a village in Bosnia-Herzegovina, situated near the border with Croatia, not far from the sea, at the latitude of Rome. It is a Catholic area surrounded by Orthodox and Muslim towns. They speak Croatian. It had about 400 inhabitants when the apparitions began (3,400 counting neighboring villages). At the start of the apparitions — June 25, 1981 — the country was under communism. The subsequent war in Yugoslavia (1992-1995) reached the gates of Medjugorje.

- On the thirteenth of May of that year 1981, John Paul II suffered the assassination attempt, so closely related to Fatima; the convalescence was complicated by the cytomegalovirus with which he was infected that same May 13, in a blood transfusion. On June 24 the Pope once again had a normal temperature and began to improve. On this day the Most Blessed Virgin began to manifest herself in Medjugorje.

In cases of apparitions, the Church usually hurries to prohibit since it suffices to detect some heresy; but it is slow to approve because it normally waits for the apparitions to end, and carefully analyzes the facts, words, and miracles (as in canonizations). In Medjugorje, the Church has not yet (2017) given approval; this is normal since the apparitions continue. More interesting is to know that it has given no prohibition. Pilgrimages accompanied by priests are permitted, and every day hundreds of priests celebrate Mass and hear confessions there. In these years, Medjugorje has received more than thirty million pilgrims — including cardinals and bishops. The miracles of Medjugorje have been and continue to be witnessed by thousands of people, and these miracles confirm the truth of the apparitions, which will be approved in due time.

Our Lady appears to six people: Vicka, Ivanka, Mirjana, Marija, Ivan, and Jakov. At the beginning, they were 17, 15, 16, 16, 16, and 10 years of age. Currently all six are married, have several children, and continue seeing the Most Blessed Virgin. They see her at one or two meters' distance. Our Lady floats in the air at one meter from the ground, with a small cloud at her feet. While they speak with Her, the young people are absent from their surroundings.

The first day that all six saw her and spoke with her was June 25, 1981. The previous day, four of them saw her from afar but were startled and fled. They were accompanied by two others who did not return the following day and did not see Saint Mary again.

The first two months she appeared to them on Mount Podbrdo, now called the Hill of Apparitions. Then the Communists with abundant troops prevented access to the hill, and Saint Mary appears to them wherever the young people are, together or separately. Sometimes she appears only to one, or to one for a longer time. On some occasions she has appeared two or three times the same day. The only fixed rule is the time, which is usually at dusk, around 6:40 (5:40 in winter).

More or less:

• Mirjana saw her every day for a year. Afterwards, only on her birthday.
• Ivanka saw her daily for four years. Then, only on the anniversary of the apparitions, June 25.
• Jakov saw her daily for 17 years. Since then, only on Christmas Day.
• Ivan, Vicka, and Marija continue to see our Lady daily.

From the beginning there have been in Medjugorje numerous conversions, many of them due to a notable divine grace. There have also been abundant healings, some very well documented (150 in the first year alone). There have also been astonishing phenomena in the surroundings and in the sky; also in the sun as at Fatima. (Several can be seen on YouTube.) On the Hill of Apparitions, our Lady will leave a visible, beautiful, and permanent sign.

It is not a matter of undervaluing one or another, since in any case they are heavenly interventions. However, Medjugorje is very special:

• In no other place has our Lady appeared for such a long time, speaking daily.
• In no place has she given so many messages.
• The number of conversions and confessions at Medjugorje is also extraordinary.
• There have been miracles in the sun — several — as at Fatima.
• There are many healings, as at Lourdes.
• There will remain a visible sign that will hopefully be as wonderful as at Guadalupe.

Most of the results already obtained remain in the spiritual realm, but something can be observed:

• Thousands and thousands of confessions indicate that our Lady's desire is being realized in the area of conversion. There are 61 confessionals built, and many times they are insufficient.
• Following Medjugorje, more than 15,000 prayer groups have arisen, so that Saint Mary's insistence that we pray is also beginning to be fulfilled.

It is a blessing that receives that name — special and maternal; Saint Mary granted it to those present at Medjugorje on August 15, 1988, and she wishes it to be transmitted to all creatures — individually — with the words each one prefers — they may be interior. This blessing grants the grace that the Heavenly Father will increase his presence and will always remain with the blessed person and will especially help them toward conversion. Medjugorje devotees have already received it, and they can transmit it. (The blessing of the priest is superior.)

The apparitions of Medjugorje are characterized by the abundance of messages that Saint Mary directs to men. From March 1, 1984, she gave a message every Thursday through Marija. From 1987, the messages became twice a month, on the 25th to Marija and on the 2nd to Mirjana. This continues today. The messages are usually brief — four to six lines.

Students of Medjugorje speak of five great themes: peace, faith, conversion, prayer, and fasting. We can say that our Lady invites us to prayer and mortification by exercising faith, to achieve conversion — one's own and the world's — and consequently peace — inner and outer. Saint Mary presented herself as Queen of Peace.

A study has been made of the most repeated words in messages from 1984 to 2010, and these are the conclusions:

• The most repeated word is children or dear children: it appears almost a thousand times, half of them in the form of dear children. It is the way of greeting and addressing the visionaries, but it also reminds us of something very beautiful: She is our mother.
• The next most frequent word is "God" (Jesus, Lord, Creator...). Our Lady speaks to us of God.
• Then comes prayer, on which Saint Mary insists more than 700 times. It is moving to hear her say: "pray, pray, pray."
• Then comes the phrase "thank you for having responded to my call." It is the usual way of saying farewell to the visionaries, but also a strong invitation to respond to the divine call. And to the call to conversion of Medjugorje.
• Next come the words love and peace (250 times).
• Then follows the call to conversion, on which our Lady insists 140 times. Logically, conversion brings with it confession. This word appears fewer times but in practice confessions at Medjugorje are very abundant. Medjugorje is known as the confessional of the world. Along with this comes the invitation to open one's heart, which is repeated about 80 times.
• The next most repeated word is Satan. On 76 occasions our Lady expressly names Satan.
• Then she insists on the need to offer sacrifices (36 times); and she cites fasting 26 times.
• There also appear joy, faith (43 times), heaven, and sin.
• She recalls Mass and the rosary 17 times. This may seem little, after the above, but let us not forget who is inviting us to Mass and to pray the rosary. Would it not be enough if she said it only once?

• If we focus on more general things, our Lady insists on peace, conversion, and faith.
• If we dwell on the practical actions that Saint Mary recommends, prayer, confession, sacrifices, Mass, and the rosary must be underlined.
• If we want to say one word, the greatest insistence, by far over the rest, is on prayer.
• Finally, it is very clear what Saint Mary wishes to achieve with these apparitions: the conversion of men.

All messages can be downloaded from the official website. A selection of messages can be downloaded here.

The visionaries of Medjugorje have received ten secrets, which will be made known shortly before the announced events occur. This means that before the visionaries die there will be ten important events in the world; and some perhaps tremendous, since at Fatima the secrets were the beginning of the Second World War and the assassination attempt against John Paul II. But the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph.

Mirjana said some things regarding the secrets. We summarize:

• She has promised to leave a visible sign on the place of the apparitions. Before the visible sign that will be given to humanity, there will be three warnings for the whole world. The warnings will be certain events on Earth. Ten days beforehand, Mirjana will warn a freely chosen priest.
• The ninth and tenth secrets are serious. They represent a punishment for the sins of the world. The punishment is inevitable, because the conversion of the whole world cannot be expected. The punishment can be reduced by prayers and penance; but it cannot be suppressed. An evil that threatened the world, according to the seventh secret, has disappeared through prayer and fasting. For this reason the Virgin continues inviting us to prayer and fasting.
• After the visible sign, those who are still alive will have little time for conversion. For this reason the Virgin invites us to urgent conversion and reconciliation.
• When the secrets are revealed it will be understood why it is important to have many children.

Because He loves men and wishes to avoid their eternal condemnation. If men were converted, punishments would be unnecessary and there would be none, but if men persist in distancing themselves from God and are comfortable that way, the only way to prevent them from going to hell is something hard that makes them react.

It is another attempt by God to avoid the punishments.

Mirjana revealed another quite clarifying matter: "Satan exists; one day he appeared before the throne of God and asked for permission to test the Church for a period. God allowed him to test it for a century. This century (approx. XX) is under the power of the Devil, but when the secrets entrusted to you are fulfilled, his power will be destroyed. Already now he has begun to lose his power and has become aggressive: he destroys marriages, stirs up divisions among priests, diabolic possessions, and murders. You must protect yourselves from him through fasting and prayer: above all, communal prayer. Carry with you blessed signs. Place them in your homes, start using holy water again."

Probably because Christians had become bourgeois and were drifting away from heaven. This happened in the Old Testament: when the Israelites turned away from God, their enemies overcame them; then they returned to prayer and the Lord protected them.

A booklet about Medjugorje can be downloaded here: medjugorje.zip.