The Apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje by Father Svetozar Kraljevic
For a group of 6 village children in Medjugorje, the 24th. of June 1981, was just another ordinary and uneventful day. However, as they were taking a walk in the mountains, something extraordinary happened to them. When they returned home that day, they started talking about their unusual experience of having witnessed the apparition of Our Lady on Podbrdo Hill. From that day onwards, Medjugorje was never the same again. The Mother of God, affectionately known as Gospa in this remote village, continued to appear to the visionaries (who were present on the second day of the apparitions) every day up to the present. In this article, I would like to share what happened in Medjugorje during the first 8 days of the apparitions.
The First Day
At around 6.00 p.m. on 24 June 1981, on the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, a beautiful woman with a Child in her arms appeared to 6 children, Ivan Dragicevic, Ivan Ivankovic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Milka Pavlovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, and Vicka Ivankovic on Podbrdo Hill (also known as Apparition Hill). On that day, she did not say anything to them but waved to them to make them come closer to her. The children did not dare to approach her because they were surprised and frightened. However, they had no doubt that She was the Gospa.
The Second Day
On 25 June 1981, the children went to the spot where Our Lady first appeared to them on Podbrdo Hill in the hope that they would see Her again. Suddenly, they saw a flash of light and at the same time, they saw Our Lady but She was without the Child at that moment. She was exceptionally beautiful that day and waved at them to make them come closer to her. The children approached her, fell on their knees, and started to say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be. Our Lady prayed with them but she did not say the Hail Mary. After the prayers, She talked to the children and asked Ivanka about her mother who died two months ago. Mirjana asked for a "sign" so that she could prove to others that the apparitions were genuine. That day, Our Lady dismissed the children with the words, "Go with God, my angels!" and promised to appear to them again the following day.
Ivan Ivankovich and Milka Pavlovic were absent that day. However, Marija Pavlovic and Jakov Colo had joined Ivan Dragicevic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, and Vicka Ivankovic for the apparition that day. Since then, Our Lady has only appeared to the children who were present for Her apparition on the second day. Ivan Ivankovich and Milka Pavlovic have never seen Her again even though they would love to do so.
The Third Day
At around 6.00 p.m on 26 June 1981, the visionaries went to the same place again. While they were on their way, they saw a bright light which flashed 3 times - a sign that Our Lady was there. That day, they had their apparition higher up on the hill and all those who were present followed them. Thousands of people were present for the apparition that evening. Our Lady looked very beautiful and serene that day and was smiling at the visionaries. One of the men gave some holy water to the children and asked them to sprinkle on the Lady as he feared that what they saw might be Satan who disguised himself to look like Our Lady. Vicka took the holy water and sprinkled on the Lady saying, "If you are Gospa, stay with us, if you are not, then go away." The Lady smiled and stayed with them. When Mirjana asked for Her name, She said, "I am the Blessed Virgin Mary."
While they were descending Podbrdo Hill, Our Lady appeared to Marija saying, "Peace, peace, peace, and only peace. Peace must rule between man and God and among the people." At that instant, Marija could see a cross behind her - a sign that this was a message from God (Please read A MESSAGE OF PEACE FROM MEDJUGORJE).
The Fourth Day
On 27 June 1981, Our Lady appeared 3 times to the visionaries and answered some of their questions. On that day, She also had a message for the priests, saying, "The priests should be pillars of faith and educate the people in the faith so that they would not go astray." When Jakov and Mirjana asked Her again for a "sign" She told them not to be afraid. Before She dismissed the children, She promised to appear to them again. As they were descending Podbrdo Hill, She appeared to them again saying, "Go with God, my angels. Go in peace."
The Fifth Day
On 28 June 1981, people from the surrounding areas came to witness the apparitions. Father Jozo Zovko, who was the parish priest of Medjugorje at that time, was doubtful of the apparitions at first and started to question the visonaries about all they had seen during the previous days. When the visionaries arrived at the site of the apparitions at around 6.00 p.m., more than 15,000 people had already gathered there. When Our Lady appeared, She prayed with the children. When the visionaries asked Her why She did not appear in the parish church so that everyone could see Her, She said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
Immediately after the apparition, Father Zrinko Cuvalo subjected the visionaries to hostile questioning trying to undermine everything they said but they remained undaunted. As associate pastor in Posuski Gradac now, Father Zrinko Cuvalo has since become a firm believer in the Medjugorje apparitions and the messages of Our Lady has become his way of life.
The Sixth Day
On 29 June 1981, the visionaries were taken to Dr. Safet Mujic Hospital in Mostar for a medical examination and were diagnosed as being mentally sound and healthy by Dr. Mulija Dzudza, of the psychiatric department. That evening, they went to Podbrdo Hill for another apparition. There was a big crowd on Podbrdo Hill waiting for the apparition that day - they had never seen so many people there before this. At 6.26 p.m., Our Lady appeared to the visionaries and, as usual, they started to pray. A pediatrics specialist and agnostic, Dr. Darinka Glamuzina, wanted to touch Our Lady, and following the visionaries' instructions, she touched Our Lady's shoulder with her hand. She shivered as she experienced some kind of electric shock passing through her body. Even though Dr. Glamuzina was an agnostic, she admitted that something was indeed going on in Medjugorje after this supernatural experience. On the same day, Our Lady also healed a 2.5-year-old boy, Daniel Setka, who was seriously ill with convulsions.
The Seventh Day
On 30 June 1981, two women offered to take the visonaries for a car ride. They intended to take them as far away from Podbrdo Hill as they could so that they would miss Our Lady's apparition on that day. Although they were far away from Podbrdo Hill at the time the apparition was supposed to take place, as though by instinct, they wanted to get out of the car when it was time for the apparition. As soon as they got out of the car, they started to pray and Our Lady came to meet them, gliding through the air from Podbrdo Hill, some 7 kilometers away.
The Eighth Day
Sometime at noon that day, the police were going after the visionaries, trying to take them away from Podbrdo Hill and hence the apparitions. The children were trying to run away from them through the vineyards and into the church. At that moment, Father Jozo Zovko was praying alone in the Church. While he was praying, he heard a voice saying, "Come out and protect the children." That was the first sign from God which led him to believe in the authenticity of the apparitions. As he was leaving the church, the visionaries were running towards him as they were trying to escape from the police. They asked Father Jozo to hide them. Without hesitation, he took them into the rectory and locked them in an unoccupied room. The visionaries had seven visions in that room.
At 5.00 p.m., Father Zrinko Cuvalo led the Rosary, and at 6.00 p.m., Father Jozo Zovko celebrated mass in the church. The church was so crowded that day that he found it impossible to raise his hands. This experience has become an essential part of the Medjugorje pilgrimage as the pilgrims come to church every evening to pray the Rosary and participate in the celebration of the mass.
The apparitions of the Virgin Mary attract millions of pilgrims to Medjugorje every year. The presence of Our Lady meets the needs of the pilgrims who are hungering and thirsting for God. "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink so that the rivers of living water shall flow within him" (John 7:37). For those who are desperately longing for God, Medjugorje is like an oasis in the desert where they can quench their thirst at God's fountain. Today, Medjugorje has become the third most important pilgrimage destination in Europe as it one of those beautiful unique places in the world where the pilgrims can find spiritual peace and hope.
You may also like to read SUPERNATURAL EVENTS IN MEDJUGORJE and THE MIRACLES OF MEDJUGORJE, TESTIMONY OF FATHER UMBERTO LONCAR, and TESTIMONY OF FATHER LUKA SUSAC. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.
References:
1. The Apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Svetozar Kraljevic.
2. Medjugorje. Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje.
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