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Medjugorje
The 12th Anniversary 24th June 1993 |
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The Army Of Peace. With the weapon only of the Rosary |
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As the heart-rending stories come out of war torn Bosnia there is another side where only peace and love reigns despite the hardship and grief. This is in the village of Medjugorje only 30 kms. from Mostar. A place where it is reported that, on the 24th June 1981, the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, first appeared to six children; Jakov Colo, Mirjana Dragicevic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Vicka Ivankovic, Marijia Pavlovic and Ivan Dragicevic. The Blessed Virgin still appears daily to four of the young people, Jajov, Vicka, Marija and Ivan and on special occasions to Mirjana and Ivanka. Each of the seers is to receive ten secrets. Two of the seers, Ivanka and Mirjana, have each received the tenth and final secret, the other young people have received nine.
Despite the war pilgrims still flock to Medjugorje and my husband and I visited for the twelfth anniversary in June 1993. It was our first visit but for others a repeat of many visits. Visitors travelled from all over the world toMedjugorje for this anniversary, a reported 40,000 people. During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. Our house was one of several clustered together. Other Australians from the same Pilgrimage stayed in the other houses and we were as one group,visiting, travelling and praying together. We had all been drawn to Medjugorje because of the messages from the Virgin Mary and despite the lack of comforts hated leaving. All have vowed to return again. Most who go to Medjugorje have heard about the unusual phenomena witnessed by many pilgrims and my husband and I were no exception. Many, like myself, have had the chains on their rosary beads turn to a gold, in colour, during talks on Medjugorje before ever leaving their homeland. By the same token few look for or expect to see these signs themselves. Once there it doesn't seem necessary to experience any special signs and I had forgotten about the sun. Therefore to have had the privilege to witness this wonderful spectacle was exciting. Something my husband and Iwill never forget. It was by chance that we were both at the cottage at 6-15pm that evening. My husband had hurt his leg badly in a fall on Apparition Hill and so was housebound. I was feeling a little tired from day activities so decided to stay at the house rather than attend the usual services at the Church. It was my husband who saw the sun first. He was sitting on the verandah enjoying the view which extended over the plains to Krizevac Hill and the cross, which stands, as described by American journalist Wayne Weible, like 'the gentle guardian of the village'. I was in the house with Sandra, one of our hosts mentioned previously. Because of the friendship we had formed I had given her two books I had written and was signing them for her when Erle called for us to come quickly. Engrossed as we were we didn't respond to his immediate call but as it became more urgent we rushed out. Therefore, I was rather taken back when arriving on the verandah all he wanted was for me to look at the sun. 'Look at the sun ', he said. I told him I couldn't look at the sun, as the glare would hurt my eyes. But he persisted. So shading my eyes with my hand, and squinting in preparation for the glare, I looked up through the space in the verandah stair well and towards the sun. The sight was amazing and I no longer found it necessary to shade my eyes. To say that the sun was throwing off the colours of the rainbow would be an understatement. It was a glowing, radiant spectrum, though orange from memory was prominent. And it pulsed. Back and forth it moved in the sky. Reaching towards earth and back again it moved like a giant blazing concertina. Then, as one was savouring and exclaiming this wonderful sight, it stopped and spun within itself at a tremendous speed. The centre a great, spinning - wheel. When this stopped and was still for a moment, the centre, or host as some have called it, turned (to my eyes) a dark bottle green, before beginning to pulse and spin all over again in a blaze of colour. All of this continued for about twenty minutes. It was quite clear to my husband, myself, Sandra, and the children who came to watch. Though as Sandra is a local it was not a new experience for her and possibly why she averted my husband's attention as the following was taking place. During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. A mist began to form from the outer ridges of the sun and formed a cross. What happened next I saw only and it was so fleeting hesitate to mention it in case it was my imagination. The figure of Christ on the cross appeared. I called for them to look but it was too late. The children were still there, but they couldn't speak English and quickly moved away. I don't know what they saw. Apparently others from nearby cottages also witnessed the sun that evening. During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. Many no doubt will ask and wonder 'What's the purpose? What does it prove?' It is considered in Medjugorje to be a sign from our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, that she is with us. Obviously she is not going to appear to all pilgrims and most are contented that she still appears daily to four of the visionaries. One of these apparitions, to Ivan, occurs each night at 6-40pm in the choir loft at the church during evening devotions. It is possible to be present and my husband and I had that privilege. Our Lady's constant message is that the world converts to God for only then will the world find peace. Her messages have been listed under the headings of Peace, Conversion, Prayer, Fasting and Faith. During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. People from many denominations go to Medjugorje. As do atheists and agnostics. Some looking to find the truth and others to destroy it. Many go for a healing of either mind or body. During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. The young people have been given a glimpse of Heaven, Purgatory and Hell. Vicka is willing to describe them and did so at one of our meetings. All the young people describe Our Lady as she is appearing now in the same way. They say, ' She wears a grey dress and white veil with a crown of stars.' Ivan says, 'Her feet don't touch the ground', and Vicka describes her as floating. 'She has black hair, blue eyes and rosy cheeks. On special Feast Days she wears a gold dress. She has appeared with the baby Jesus in her arms and once with Christ as a grown man.' During our stay we lived with a local family and shared the home with sixteen other Australians. Our sleeping quarters were sparse but comfortable and our communal dining table always alive with laughter which was shared by our host family as they attended to our needs. None of us spoke Croatian, nor they English, yet we communicated. Indeed became what I hope will be life long friends. Medjugorje is an experience one wishes to share with the world. It is a promise of peace and love. Its people though surrounded by and torn apart by war never lose faith. Once experienced it beckons one back from all corners of the world, time and time again. Here true ecumenism is at work. It is a place of hope. |
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To sum up in the words of Dominique Peyramale, Lourdes 1858.
'For those who believe no explanation is necessary |
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| Message from Our Lady 25th June 1993. Given to Marija. Dear Children, |
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She is here to teach this awareness |
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‘All are born with a knowledge of God Vicka |
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