On Thursday, the Vatican released a statement acknowledging the spiritual “fruits” that have emerged from the site of the controversial alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary, while refraining from declaring these events as supernatural.
A leading newswire reported that in June 1981, six young people in Medjugorje, a town now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, claimed to have witnessed a vision of the Virgin Mary.
What Has The Vatican Said About Medjugorje?
In a lengthy note titled “The Queen of Peace,” issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the dicastery, and Msgr. Armando Matteo, the doctrinal section’s secretary, highlighted the many “positive fruits” that have arisen from Medjugorje since these reported apparitions began in 1981.
Since the alleged visions, Medjugorje has evolved into a significant pilgrimage destination, attracting over a million visitors each year to the town, which has a population of just over 2,000.
The Vatican granted formal approval for pilgrimages to Medjugorje in 2019, as noted by Vatican News. According to the note released on Thursday, Medjugorje has seen a “large number” of spiritual “fruits” resulting from pilgrimages, including “numerous conversions, frequent returns to the sacraments (especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation), many vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and marriage,” among others.
Over the decades, several of the original visionaries have reported ongoing and regular visions of the Virgin Mary. The messages conveyed in these visions are documented and published on the Medjugorje website. In the most recent message, published on August 25, visionary Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti reported a prayer for peace.
The regularity and content of the alleged messages from the Virgin Mary, some of which seem to contradict accepted doctrine, have made Medjugorje a somewhat controversial devotion.
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Places to Visit in Medjugorje
St. James’ Church: The Church of St. James serves as the center of religious services in Medjugorje and is an ideal starting point for exploring the town’s places of worship. Located along the main street and easily accessible from the city center, this modern church was built in 1969. While its exterior is simple, with little decoration, its symbolic significance has made it a focal point. The two tall bell towers with clocks give the church a sense of grandeur.
Apparition Hill: Known as Podbrdo, Apparition Hill is the location where Our Lady of Medjugorje first appeared to the young visionaries in 1981. A white statue of the Virgin Mary marks the exact spot of the apparitions. The hill is about 2 kilometers from the town center and can be reached in about 20 minutes by foot. However, those who wish to take time for contemplation and prayer should allow at least an hour.
The Mountain of the Cross: Another prominent site of worship in Medjugorje is the 520-meter-high Mountain of the Cross, also known as Križevac or Šipovac Mountain. At its summit stands a massive cross, 8.5 meters high and 3 meters wide, which was erected in 1933 to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of Christ’s crucifixion. The mountain had already become a site of devotion about 50 years before the apparitions that brought worldwide attention to Medjugorje. The cross contains relics of Christ, which were received from Rome.
