The Phenomenon
On the evening of 24 June 1981, (feast day of St John the Baptist), in the parish of St James, (patron saint of pilgrims) in Medjugorje, Bosnia/Hercegovina, six young people between the ages of 10 and 16 claimed to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a hill and beckoning to them.
That first day was the beginning of daily apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary who identified herself as 'The Queen of Peace' to these six young people - apparitions that have continued daily and lasted up to the present day.
For thirty five years, these six croatians claim that the Blessed Mother has been appearing to them and that they have received thousands of messages for Medjugorje and the world.
All six, now adults with families of their own, and who have been subjected to years of medical, theological and scientific studies, still claim daily apparitions. Each of the six visionaries says that he or she has received, or is in the process of receiving, ten secrets.
As a result of these alleged apparitions of Our Lady, more than forty million people of every denomination and creed have visited Medjugorje from around the globe.. Included in this number have been presidents and prime ministers, royalty and movie actors.. There have been a staggering number of remarkable signs and wonders, cures and healings too numerous to count.
Hundreds of priestly and religious vocations have directly resulted from a person's pilgrimage to Medjugorje; people have come back to their faith after an absence of 30 or 40 years; addictions have been conquered; psychological and emotional wounds have found healing.
As a tree is always known by the fruit it produces, the fruit of Medjugorje cannot be ignored. Pilgrims have found it to be a life-changing encounter and one of the most spiritually significant experiences of their lives.
Official website of the Parish of St James, Medjugorje - HERE
Medjugorje is located in the Hercegovina region of western Bosnia and Hercegovina, around 25 km southwest of Mostar and close to the border with Croatia (former Yugoslavia). Medjugorje today has a population of over 4,000, is at an altitude of 22m (660 ft) above sea level and has a mild Mediterranean climate.
Frequent flights throughout the summer are scheduled to Split and Dubrovnik from various European cities, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Ferry sailings depart from various Italian ports across the Adriatic.
In obedience to the Holy Roman Catholic Church, Mir Pilgrimages acknowledges and accepts that the truth and judgement of the authenticity of these apparitions rests with the Holy See of Rome. The Church always proceeds with prudence and caution in regard to any alleged private revelation. The papal commission set up to investigate this phenomenon has now concluded, handed their findings to His Holiness Pope Francis and the faithful await the pontiff's official pronouncement.
