Medjugorje is credited with creating more priestly and religious vocations in the Church since the early 1990’s than anyone or anything else.
The Manifestation of Our Lady of Medjugorje
The visions began in the early evening of June 24, 1981 on what is now famously known as Podbrdo hill. People come from all over the world to climb the hill where the first and many of the successive apparitions took place. Crosses, rosaries and other Catholic sacramentals are strewn all over the steep and rocky pathway to the peak.
The list of the visionaries and their year of birth is as follows: Vicka Ivankovic (1964); Mirjana Dragicevic (1965); Marija Pavlovic (1965); Ivanka Ivankovic (1966); Ivan Dragicevic (1965); and Jakov Colo (1971). Two other visionaries who do not visually see the Blessed Virgin Mary, but hear her voice internally are Jelena Vasilj (1972) and Marijana Vasilj (1972).
Our Lady of Medjugorje appeared to the first six of the eight visionaries on that day in 1981 as a white figure immersed in a glowing, golden and shining cloud. She announced herself as the "Queen of Peace."
Although the communist regime of the time tried very hard to suppress the mystics and the visions themselves, they were unable to quelch the growing interest in continuing messages from the Blessed Mother.
Our Lady of Medjugorje told the visionaries about the Croatian wars which were to come years before they happened.
The visionaries at Medjugorje have an exceptional parish priest – considered the most famous living parish priest in the world — who has supported and helped them from the very beginning even going to jail and forced labor camps rather than denounce the message of the Blessed Virgin Mary given to the visionaries — Father Jozo Zovko.
The Message of Our Lady of Medjugorje
Our Lady of Medjugorje spoke about the catastrophes to come (similarly to those of Garabandal), not only in the Croatian regions but around the world, and explained that the lack of faith in God was directly responsible for these coming difficult times. She prescribed a very strict code of penance, prayer, fasting, reparation and engaging in the sacraments frequently – including monthly confession – as a way to begin to change society which was fast losing its faith and respect of God.
Our Lady of Medjugorje still speaks today, although only a few of the visionaries still receive regular apparitions. People from around the world continue to flock to Medjugorje to be present during the daily messages and to receive the special graces that are received from being present in such a holy place.
Other apparitions that hold special fame in the church include Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Sources:
- Those who Saw Her: Apparitions of Mary, by Catherine M. Odell.
- Catherine Laboure and the Modern Apparitions of Our Lady, by Abbe Omer Englebert.
- Miraculous Images: Photographs Containing God's Fingerprints, by Marilynn Hughes.
- Medjugorje: Light for the World, by Pietro Jacopini.
- Our Lady Comes to Garabandal, by Joseph A. Pelletier, A.A.
- The Wonder of Guadalupe, by Francis Johnston.
- The Glories of Czestochowa and Jasna, To the Priests Our Lady's Beloved Sons, by Marian Movement of Priests.
- Our Lady of America, by Sister Mildred Mary Neuzil.
- The Thunder of Justice, by Ted and Maureen Flynn.
 |
