Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje

Marian Advocation of Medjugorje (Herzegovina)

La devoción a Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje is linked to the phenomenon of the alleged Marian apparitions initiated by the 24 June 1981 in Medjugorje, in Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the account of the seers, two young people - Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičević - first saw a female figure near the hill of PodbródThe following day, four other young people joined together, the group of six witnesses being set up: Ivanka, Mirjana, Vicka, Marija, Ivan y Jakov.

Main data

Origin and history

La devoción a Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje is linked to the phenomenon of the alleged Marian apparitions initiated by the 24 June 1981 in Medjugorje, in Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the account of the seers, two young people - Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičević - first saw a female figure near the hill of PodbródThe following day, four other young people joined together, the group of six witnesses being set up: Ivanka, Mirjana, Vicka, Marija, Ivan y Jakov.

Agrees to distinguish between devotional tradition y la documented history. The tradition of Medjugorje maintains that the Virgin presented herself with the title of “Reina de la Paz” and has since transmitted messages focused on prayer, conversion, fasting and reconciliation. On the other hand, the Church has not declared the supernatural of the apparitions; on September 19, 2024, the Vatican published the note "The Queen of Peace", concediendo el no obstat to devotion and recognizing its spiritual fruits, without pronouncing on the supernatural character of the facts.

The parish of Medjugorje was founded in 1892 and is dedicated to James Apostlethe patron of the pilgrims; the pastoral is entrusted to the Franciscans of the Province of Herzegovina. In the historical documents, the first mention of the people dates from 1599.

The image and the sanctuary

No consta una unique and official image of the advocation with universally established iconographic features, because in Medjugorje devotion focuses above all on the place of apparitions and in the prayer of the sanctuary more than in a concrete statue of universally recognized veneration. In devotional materials and reproduced by Marian centers, Mary usually appears as Queen of Peacewith the iconography of the Virgin in a serene and maternal attitude, but there is no unique official description of the type, material or authorship of a specific image.

The main temple is the Parish Church of Santiago Apostle in Medjugorje, pastoral heart of the sanctuary. The devotional set also includes the Podbrdo hill - place associated with the first apparitions - and the monte Križevac, both integrated into the spiritual experience of pilgrims. It does not include erection as a minor basilica; nor does it include, with the documentation provided, an official designation as a national or diocesan sanctuary. It is a pilgrimage centre of international reach, pastoral governed by the Franciscans.

Sponsorship and coronation

The devotional patronage of this advocation is associated with Medjugorje and his parish, as well as the wide movement of pilgrims who come to the sanctuary. A formal canonical patronage of the city, municipality, diocese or nation is not, with sufficient security in the documentation provided.

No documented canonical coronation for Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje in the sources provided. Devotion is widely spread, but the ecclesial recognition cited in 2024 refers to the no obstat for devotional practice, not to a canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

No consta una universal liturgical feast for this invocation in the sources provided. In the devotional practice of Medjugorje, the center of spiritual life is the pilgrimagethe confession, the Eucharist, the worship and the prayer of the Rosary, rather than a solemnity of the general calendar.

The influx of pilgrims is very large: the devotional and Marian sources speak of million visitors from many countries. Among the popular features are the rise to Podbród, the promotion to Križevac, participation in the parish mass, Eucharistic worship, frequent confession and community prayer of the Rosary.

Link to the Rosary

El vínculo con el Rosary It's very strong. In Medjugorje, the Rosary is a central part of the spirituality promoted by devotion: the messages attributed to the Virgin insist on persevering prayer, conversion and peace, and local Marian practice has widely spread the prayer of the Rosary among pilgrims and prayer groups.

If a rigorous Marian synthesis is formulated, it can be said that the Rosary accompanies this advocation because it presents it as Queen of Peace and leads, through the mysteries of Christ, to a spirituality of reconciliation, penance and ecclesial communion; in Medjugorje, this relationship has become one of the most visible signs of devotion.