Medjugorje WebSite Updates by month September, 2006

• Medjugorje in Light of the Pope's visit to Sarajevo
• The Pope, Medjugorje and the Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans
• The President of Croatia, Medjugorje and the Pope
• Statements of Pope John Paul II about Medjugorje
• Pope John Paul II wrote positively about Medjugorje
• Our Lady about Pope John Paul II

• The Pope Benedict XVI is not against Medjugorje
• Cardinal Ratzinger spoke in an inspired way about Medjugorje

For the past twenty-five years, Medjugorje has been an actuality on the world scene. Today, it has its zealous advocates; however, it also has its fierce opponents. Opposing front lines in the battle are not likely to sue for peace any time soon. Advocates are tireless in their visits to Medjugorje all the while believing the authentic voice of Heaven is the starting point, namely, the appearance of the Gospa - Our Lady. Meanwhile, the opponents are fierce in their opposition and seek out elements of contention surrounding the entire set of events.

• Cardinal Tonini on Medjugorje
• Cardinal Wamala about Medjugorje, July 1995
• The Visit of Two Cardinals to Medjugorje, May 1995
• Cardinal Hans urs von Balthasar writes to Bishop Zanic
• The Words of Frantisek Tomasek, Cardinal of Prague
• Declaration of Croatian Cardinal dr. Franjo Kuharic on Medjugorje

When, on the 24th-25th of June 1981, Our Lady's apparitions began in the parish of Medjugorje, in the diocese of Mostar-Duvno and Trebinje- Markanj, the bishop was Pavao Zanic (1971-1993). He was succeeded by dr. Ratko Peric.

Photos of one of the Medjugorje visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic during her short discourse to pilgrims before the house of her parents.

Photos of Siroki Brijeg, which is located several kilometres from Medjugorje. Siroki Brijeg is the place of work of Fr. Jozo Zovko.

Pilgrims came up the Cross Mountain Krizevac to participate the Holy Mass before the Cross. Folder contains photos from the event and links to descripting article with additional photos from the event.

Pictures taken during late summer days.

How did the Festival first begin? What was its aim?

This festival began 17 years ago when Fr. Slavko began to help a group of young people understand Medjugorje, also through the help of songs personal testimonies. I wasn’t here then, so I can’t tell you more about that. It was certainly a group of young people who had been touched by Medjugorje and by Our Lady’s presence and by her messages. So, gradually, this festival, this international meeting grew.

A song, warm and rhythmical, rises from their joyful hearts, as also their minds and bodies praise the King. In dozens of different languages and prayers, with hundreds of different colours and thousands of voices, there is something new and unique going on in Medjugorje. It cannot go unnoticed by anyone, but rather, the life it brings urges you to come and be part of this one body, which is the springtime of the Church, and the mystical body of Christ.

Colette is French, her husband, British and they have two girls born in America:

"We currently live in Pennsylvania. Our family is, or should I say, was not the religious type. Both my husband and I had had disgruntling experiences with the Catholic Church and we were happy to stay as far from it as we possibly could. And yet, in March 2003, something really weird happened.

Maybe we tend to say: I’ve been able to do this or that, or: this work is mine, revealing a note of self-satisfaction, or even pride. So I ask: how will we see our life when it nears its end? I think we’ll have a serene and luminous recollection of what God has done in our lives and in the lives of others, and for us this will certainly be reason for joy and peace. Perhaps we shall have a distant and even indifferent recollection of what we will have done on our own; and we may also regret not having the ability and possibility of doing what we were once able to do. God, however, does not so much seek our doing – for in an instant He can create the universe – but He seeks our heart, for it is there that He finds His delight.

I remember well the first time I came to Medjugorje. It was in 1997 and I was 14 years old. That pilgrimage marked a turning point in my life. It gave my life a definite direction. The journey, of course, is gradual, but at different moments I have been asked to give my response to God, and in total freedom I renewed my “yes” each time.

I was a boy at the time, and when I first came here to this blessed land I had no particular expectations or biased opinions of any type. As I look back I think I was simply led here by Our Lady. She took me by the hand and led me towards the God of Love. Till then I knew God only by hearsay, but I was soon to be seduced by Him.

In the Parish of Medjugorje, the Solemnity of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is called “Križevac” and is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday after the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. In honour of the Holy Year of Redemption 1933/34, and inspired by their pastor Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, the parishioners, despite their poverty, built a monumental cross, 8.5 m high and 3.5 m wide, on the hill above Medjugorje. Relics of the true cross of Jesus, received from Rome for the occasion, are embedded in the crossbar itself.

After the apparition of the Blessed Virgin on November 30, 1983, Maria Pavlovic came to me and said, 'The Madonna says that the Supreme Pontiff and the Bishop must be advised immediately of the urgency and great importance of the message of Medjugorje.'

Scientific Research on the Medjugorje visionaries

• Considerably extended Medjugorje Apparitions section
• Added some new items and new category Medjugorje in the Church to News & Articles
• Improved design of Pictures & photos galleries
• Added 4 new galleries with Medjugorje Photos from late summer, Visionary Vicka, Siroki Brijeg and Krizevac (Cross Mountain)
• New page Latest Message (suitable for distribution) in Medjugorje Messages section
• Titles of all Medjugorje Messages are now more descriptive and more suitable for printing in Internet Explorer. Highlighted date of message followed by symbol means that by clicking on the date, the message will be displayed separately in a popup window allowing to print and email the message, and add the message to favorites in your Internet Browser. Example:
  “Dear children! This is a time of grace. That is why pray, pray, pray until you comprehend God's love for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call. ”
• Some links in left navigation bar of Medjugorje Messages section are more detailed and understandable
• Added new links to selected recommended pages about Medjugorje Messages, Medjugorje Apparitions, Medjugorje News & Articles and Medjugorje Photos in the introductory page
• Created separate section for Guestbook
• Special versions for low resources browsers, mobile phones and PDA devices
  • Medjugorje Text WebSite (http://text.medjugorje.ws),
  • Medjugorje WAP WebSite (http://wap.medjugorje.ws),
  • Medjugorje PDA WebSite (http://pda.medjugorje.ws)

From the beginning, the Medjugorje apparitions were accompanied by many unusual phenomena, both in the sky and on the ground, especially by miraculous healings. I myself, with about a thousand pilgrims, experienced one unusual dance of the sun. That manifestation was so unusual and obvious, that everyone without exception classified it as a miracle. None of those present remained indifferent, which I myself was convinced of by questioning the others who were present. The joy, the tears, and the statements of those present strongly confirmed it. From their words, it could be seen that they understood that manifestation as a confirmation of the authenticity of the apparitions, and as an incentive to respond to the Medjugorje messages by accepting them. And that is the real purpose of miracles: to help people believe and live by faith because they stand in the service of the faith and of the salvation of people.