Medjugorje or Meğugorje ("between the hills") has become well known in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the world, because of six young people who claim to have seen visions of the Madonna. Beginning on June 24, 1981, the Blessed Mother appeared to, and later told the visionaries God sent her to our world to help us convert our hearts and lives back to Him. Our Lady's call is one of Peace, Love, Faith, Conversion, Prayer, and Fasting. We are each challenged to answer Our Lady's call to change our lives, and hearts back to God. The following articles, interviews, and testimonies provide a well rounded, and accurate account and perspective of one of the greatest events in modern history.
Medjugorje is a Croatian Parish consisting of 5 villages (i.e the villages of Medjugorje, Bijakovici, Vionica, Miletina and Šurmanci) in the Herzegovina municipality of Citluk, today part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the former Yugoslavia.
On June 24th, 1981, at about 6 pm, two young people - Ivanka Ivankovic and Mirjana Dragicevic, were out walking on a hill known as Crnica just outside of town, in the hamlet of Bijakovici. They later reported they'd gone to look for their sheep and bring them in for the night. They said they saw a young woman with a child in her arms who beckoned them to come nearer. Surprised and scared, they did not approach her.
On the second day, believing the woman they'd seen might be the Virgin Mary, the girls returned to the hill, bringing their friend Vicka Ivankovic along. According to the official story, they ran barefoot up the hill over rocks and thorns, not keeping to the path. Ivanka said the lady was there, and the three girls threw themselves to their knees in prayer. Vicka left after a few minutes, because she wanted to bring her friends Marija Pavlovic and Jakov Colo to see the lady. Another young person who reports daily visions is Ivan Dragicevic. (According to some accounts, two other children, Milka Pavlovic and Ivan Ivankovic, were present on the first day of apparitions, but did not come back on the second day, and never again reported a vision.)
In the early days of the apparitions, it was alleged the Virgin Mary, called "Gospa" in Croatian, promised the six visionaries ten “secrets” which contain information on future events. These ten secrets, which will affect the Church and the world, were written on a special parchment listing the timing and description of each event. Mirjana keeps the parchment in her home. To date, three visionaries, Mirjana, Ivanka, and Jakov have received all ten messages, while Ivan, Marija and Vicka have received nine. The six visionaries would eventually each know all ten secrets, but none has fully disclosed them except to announce that they include chastisements for the world and that they will begin during the lifetimes of the visionaries. The seventh secret is a punishment for humanity that has been diminished because of the response to Our Lady’s requests for prayers, fasting and conversion.
The third of the secrets involves a visible and permanent sign that is described as beautiful and indestructible and not of this world, which will be left on Apparition Mountain, the site of her first appearance. One of the messages of the "Gospa" says: "This sign will be given for the atheists. You faithful already have signs and you have become the sign for the atheists. You faithful must not wait for the sign before you convert: convert soon. This time is a time of grace for you. When the sign comes, it will be too late. As a mother I caution you because I love you. The secrets exist. My children! Nothing is known of these now, but when they are known, it will be too late. Return to prayer, nothing is more important than this. I would like it if the Lord allowed me to reveal some of the secrets to you, but that which He is doing for you is already a Grace which is almost too much."
It is said that historically, the region of Bosnia, and Herzegovina for that matter, has seen centuries of rivalry and animosity between some quarters in the Franciscan Order, which runs the parish of Medjugorje, and that of the diocesan hierarchy (not run by a religious order), including the seat of the Bishop of Mostar which has jurisdiction over Medjugorje [6]. According to Catholic authors E. Michael Davies and Michael Jones, it is possible that the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje were used by the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Croat Franciscan Order to challenge the authority of the diocese.
For more info about Medjugorje please visit VTHawaii.com.
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