Medjugorje

Medjugorje is a village in the mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 1981, six young people claimed to be having apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The Blessed Mother first appeared, then later told the visionaries that God had sent her into Medjugorje to help convert hearts and lives back to Him. Her messages, which continue to this day, center around peace, love, faith, conversion, prayer and fasting.[1] Each of the visionaries will receive ten individual secrets that will be revealed when the apparitions cease.

News of the Virgin Mary's apparitions began to attract pilgrims to the small village, first from the surrounding areas and then, from around the world. At the time, Bosnia was part of the communist nation of Yugoslavia. Despite the official atheist policy of communism, clergy, theologians as well as experts from the physical and medical sciences visited and testified that some type of phenomenon was taking place when the apparitions occurred. In addition, some pilgrims reported seeing the sun spin as it had in Fatima. Others reported that their rosaries turned gold. And, as had happened at other sites of Marian apparitions, physical, spiritual and moral healings were taking place.

The Visionaries

1. Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic is the oldest of the visionaries. Her prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for the sick. Vicka's apparitions have not stopped as of 2008; Our Lady has confided nine secrets to her.
2. Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo was born in Sarajevo but spent summers with her grandmother in the area around Medjugorje. Her prayer mission from Our Lady is to pray for the unbelievers. Mirjana was the first of the visionaries to receive all ten secrets. Since that time, Our Lady appears to Mirjana once a year on her birthday (March 18) and the second day of each month to pray with her for unbelievers.
3. Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti's prayer mission is to pray for the souls in purgatory. Marija still has daily apparitions and is the visionary who relays Our Lady's messages to the world on the 25th of each month.
4. Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez was the first to see Our Lady on June 24, 1981. Her prayer mission is to pray for families. Ivanka had daily apparitions up until 1985 when she received her tenth secret. She now has a yearly apparition on June 25.
5. Ivan Dragicevic has received nine secrets and still has daily apparitions. His prayer mission is to pray for priests and the youth of the world.
6. Jakov Colo is the youngest of the visionaries. He has received all ten secrets and now has a yearly apparition on Christmas Day. Jakov's prayer mission is to pray for the sick.

The Catholic Church's Position

Unlike Fatima, Lourdes and Guadeloupe, Medjugorje has not yet been approved by the Vatican as an official Marian apparition. The Church permits Catholics to visit Medjugorje including priests who visit as chaplains. The Church has not suppressed discussion of Medjugorje but forbids official pilgrimages until a final decision has been rendered.