Our Lady of Medjugorje

Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The most visited Marian shrine in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Virgin Mary has been appearing since 1981.

The apparitions of Medjugorje

On June 24, 1981, six young people from the village of Medjugorje reported seeing the Virgin Mary. The apparitions have continued ever since, becoming one of the most studied and controversial Marian phenomena in history.

The seers

The six original visionaries are: Ivan Dragičević, Ivanka Ivanković, Mirjana Dragičević, Vicka Ivanković, Marija Pavlović, and Jakov Čolo. Each of them receives regular apparitions of the Virgin Mary, who identifies herself as "the Queen of Peace."

The messages of the Virgin

The messages of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje focus on five main themes:

• Prayer: Pray the Rosary daily
• Conversion: Become with all the heart
• Penitencia: Fasting and making sacrifices
• Peace: To seek peace in the heart and in the world
• Love: Love God over all things

The signs of Medjugorje

Over the years, numerous signs have been reported in Medjugorje:

• The "dancing sun": unexplained solar phenomena
• Luminous crosses in the sky
• Documented miraculous healings
• Mass conversions
• The scent of roses (phenomania)

The parish of Saint James

St. James Parish in Medjugorje is the center of the sanctuary's activities. The church was built in 1969 and has been expanded several times to accommodate the millions of pilgrims who visit the site each year.

Prayer to Our Lady of Medjugorje

O Our Lady of Medjugorje, Queen of Peace, Mother of Mercy. You who appeared to the young people of this village to call the world to conversion, intercede for us before your Son Jesus. Guide us on the path of prayer, penance, and peace. Amen.