MEDJUGORJE - THE SHOPPING PARADISE

A beautiful souvenir shop in Medjugorje

Medjugorje is a shopping haven for those who wish to buy Christian religious souvenirs (crucifixes, rosaries, prayer beads, religious books, postcards, statues, pendant necklaces, etc.) at the best possible prices. There are many options for shopping in Medjugorje and you need not go very far as there are many souvenir shops located within walking distance from St. James Church. Many Medjugorje hotels are located near St. James Church, so if you stay in a hotel within walking distance from St. James Church, traveling around is not a problem as you can easily walk to your favorite destinations.

I always love to go shopping because that is my favorite hobby. Buying something new makes me feel happy and confident. When I was in Medjugorje, I really had a wonderful time shopping for religious souvenirs. The reasons why I love to shop for religious souvenirs in Medjugorje are:

• these things are not only beautiful but have good quality
• they are unique and cannot be found elsewhere in this world
• the prices are reasonable
• great variety - there are so many different types of souvenirs to choose from
• friendly service
• beautiful shops and so many of them selling religious souvenirs - something you cannot find in Malaysia

I feel so proud of the religious souvenirs I bought in Medjugorje. Now, there is a 'Little Medjugorje' in my bedroom which always makes me feel that I am a part of Medjugorje. I enjoy reciting the rosary in Croatian every night whilst looking at my 'Little Medjugorje' and I am so used to it now that I find it almost impossible to pray the rosary in English. Once in a while, I also recite the rosary in French but I still prefer the rosary in Croatian.

The 'Little Medjugorje' in my bedroom

The marble statue of the Queen of Peace (in front of St. James Church) is the symbol of Medjugorje. Look at my statues of the Queen of Peace - they still look brand new after some years.

The Crosses & statue of the Queen of Peace. 

The Krizevac Cross and statue of the risen Christ. Good quality objects - the two Krizevac crosses (in the photo above) do not turn yellow after so many years.

Pendant necklaces

Every souvenir holds big memories of Medjugorje

Medjugorje books

Rosary boxes - I bought ten of them because they are so beautiful and unique

Rosary made from Apparition Hill stones

Crystal Rosary (in the photo above) - I can't find something like this in Malaysia

I bought this rosary one evening, on my way to St. James Church, after climbing Mount Krizevac. 

Medjugorje has the best rosaries in the world.

My Medjugorje postcard album

I also love to shop for postcards in Medjugorje and I'm proud of my Medjugorje postcard album.

MEMORABLE WALKS IN MEDJUGORJE

In the photo below, you can see a part of Mount Krizevac behind the hotels. Medjugorje has many beautiful hotels now. However, life wasn't very comfortable for the pilgrims during the early days of the apparitions. During those days the beautiful hotels that we see now do not exist. Although life in Medjugorje wasn't easy at that time, the pilgrims still went to Medjugorje because of their strong faith. Even the war couldn't stop them. They were ready to endure whatever hardship that awaited them. Where did they stay then? Who provided food for them? The villagers were very kind. They provided food and lodging for the pilgrims. That was how the hotel business in Medjugorje began.

This was the path that I took from my hotel to St. James Church. I have walked this path countless times yet I have never felt bored with it. All I could see was the beauty of this place - a place of love. A place where heaven touches the earth.

A simple path without any form of luxury but it means a lot to me. Even now I am filled with nostalgia for this simple and humble path of life that I have travelled in Medjugorje.

In the above photo you can also see Podbrdo Hill. Medjugorje is situated between Mount Krizevac and Podbrdo Hill. Hence the name Medjugorje which means "area between two mountains" in Croatian.
In the above photo you can get a better view of Podbrdo Hill. Skyscrapers and big cities would never catch my fancy. What I really yearn for is a simple life in a simple village like Medjugorje where everyone is kind, honest and helpful. What I really want to do for the remainder part of my life is to relive again the life that I have lived in Medjugorje. Just pray, pray, pray all day long. For those of you who are tired of this materialistic world and are yearning for some peace Medjugorje is the best place for you.

Some of the souvenir shops in Medjugorje. We are getting closer to St. James Church. You can see more of them opposite St. James Church. Medjugorje is truly a shopper's paradise. There are so many things worth buying there.

The beautiful St. James Church in Medjugorje. We have finally arrived there.

IS MEDJUGORJE A SATANIC CULT?

Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina

I don't understand why there are people who keep saying that Medjugorje is a cult and at the extreme end there are even those who say that it is a Satanic cult. How sad! I honestly feel that they are not doing justice to this holy place. Even though they do not believe in the apparitions there is no reason why they should say such a thing. Maybe they do not know what a Satanic Cult really is. If only they would take the trouble to find out more about it they would realize that they have misinterpreted its meaning. A Satanic Cult is a fearful thing - certainly NOT what you can see and experience in Medjugorje. Is Medjugorje really a Satanic cult? This is the topic of my discussion tonight.

What is a Satanic Cult? The Cult of Satan or Satanic worship is a magical ceremony characterized by the worship of demons and the revolt against Christianity. Its focus is on worshipping the devil and mocking God and is therefore absolutely evil. The central feature of Satanic worship is the Black Mass, a perverted and inverted rendition of the Eucharistic host and an antithesis of God. The 'Black Mass Ceremony' include activities such as animal / human sacrifices and deviant sexual behaviors. How scary!. Contrary to the Roman Catholic Mass, the Satanic ritual is motivated by the belief that Satan is stronger and more powerful than God and is therefore more capable of fulfilling the desires of his adherents.

Now, let us go deeper into the meaning of Black Mass and find out what happens during the Satanic ceremony. The Black Mass with its black candles and the naked body of a woman serving as an altar is an intentional inversion of the Catholic Mass. It is very offensive to Christians as it is calling for the renunciation of God. Since Satan does not want the human race to worship God, he is being substituted for God in the Black Satanic Mass where "good' is replaced by "evil". Participants are encouraged to wear black hooded full length cloaks. The following are among some of the activities that are being carried out during the Black Mass:

• Instead of invoking the name of Jesus, the participants scream "Beelzebub! Beelzebub! Beelzebub!" mockingly;
• Burning or stabbing sacramental wafers;
• Pouring consecrated wine contemptuously onto the floor;
• Drinking urine or blood from a human skull;
• Feasting on roasted human flesh;
• Frenzy sex orgies; 
• Newborn babies being murdered and offered as sacrifices to Satan;
• Slitting throats and collecting the blood into a chalice.

Have the Medjugorje priests ever celebrated the Black Mass? Have they ever preached anything about Satanism? Have they ever taught the pilgrims how to worship Satan? In Medjugorje, Satan's name is never mentioned. Evil does not exist. Everyone is kind, honest and helpful. Even those who are not normally kind, honest and helpful would embrace these characteristics for a short while during their stay in Medjugorje. Why is it so? How can one choose to do evil in a place where evil does not exist? There is no such thing as the Black Mass in Medjugorje. The words 'Black Mass' do sound scary, don't they? These scary words do not exist in Medjugorje. In Medjugorje we do not see darkness. We can only see the light of God.

I have been invited to other non-Catholic churches before. Not that I wanted to go. It was just that my friends were too persuasive to the extent that they kept calling me unendingly - almost to the extent of dragging me there by force. In the Catholic Churches we DO NOT look for new members like this. Once there was a friend who told me that she wanted to introduce a lawyer who graduated from the UK to me. I do wonder if this is one of the tactics which her church employs to bring in new members. Any woman wouldn't be able to resist such temptation but definitely NOT me. I never like the idea of hunting for a husband especially in such an unnatural way. I have much better things to do in my life. Finding new church members isn't that difficult after all - just drag a lawyer, doctor or engineer there and hundreds of young ladies would flock to the church (when they are invited by the church members) and compete desperately for him! What is the purpose of going to church? To pray or to hunt for a husband? 

Out of curiousity, I went to the other non-Catholic churches to see what was going on and being an extremely picky person I felt uneasy throughout my presence in those churches. I am the kind of person who cannot accept the slightest deviation from the Roman Catholic practices. If I have ever attended the Black Mass in Medjugorje, I will never ever mention this place again in my life. The reason why I am so supportive of Medjugorje is because it is more Catholic than the Catholic Churches in Malaysia. Frankly speaking, in Malaysia, I cannot find the kind of Catholic life that I yearn for. I can only find it in Medjugorje and Lourdes.

In Medjugorje, we do not renounce God and worship Satan. Human sacrifice, animal sacrifice and deviant sexual activities have never been a part of the Church practices in Medjugorje. I haven't seen the priests killing people and animals in the church as offerings to Satan. And Medjugorje is certainly the last place to go for those who enjoy deviant sexual activities. People are smart nowadays. They know where to go for these activities. Medjugorje is NOT the place for them. In Medjugorje, we do not drink urine or blood from a human skull nor do we feast on roasted human flesh. We fast on bread and water. We do not burn sacramental wafers, pour consecrated wine onto the floor, or scream 'Beelzebub'. We attend Church several times a day and pray the rosary wherever we go.

So, what can we see in Medjugorje? I saw people praying the rosary all the time - on their way to church, while walking to the shops, while climbing Podbrdo Hill and Krizevac Mountain. Back home, they probably wouldn't do such a thing in public because no one is doing it. But in Medjugorje, even godless people would pray all the time because everyone is doing it. Even those who seldom go to church would find themselves attending mass everyday or possibly several times a day. To a greater or lesser extent, we are influenced by our surrounding environment and by the people around us. So, if we want to live a holy life, Medjugorje is the best place for us. Why accuse Medjugorje of being a Satanic cult? Do you think people who worship Satan would do what the Medjugorje pilgrims are doing each day?

A few months back, a church member who is not very bright was invited to a non-Catholic church in Kuala Lumpur. He went there for the purpose of getting a free meal. As I have said earlier, anyone in Malaysia can rent a flat or a shoplot and call it a church and then call himself a pastor. When this church member entered this particular "non-Catholic Church", he was given a very lucrative offer, i.e., to marry a beautiful China woman. Irresistible, isn't it? Any guy would simply say "yes". Why not? The wife is free of charge. Better than taking a Vietnamese bride. To marry a Vietnamese bride one would have to pay RM15000. Well, this guy said that he couldn't afford to support himself and he did not want a wife. Next, he was given another offer, i.e., he would be paid RM1000 for marrying this China woman. This was supposed to be a faked marriage. The China woman only wanted the marriage certificate so that she could stay here. He was told that this China woman would not give him any problems. She only wanted to work as a maid here. When he asked for the advice of another church member in my church, this church member told him that since Malaysian women do not want China maids for fear that they would destroy their families, there was the likelihood that this China woman could have come here to work as a prostitute. So, this not-so-bright church member declined the marriage offer by that non-Catholic church. Why offered him RM1000 when he declined the first offer? The reason was very obvious, i.e., this non-Catholic church was doing some kind of sham / fake marriage business and had the intention to scam this guy. Needless to say, this China woman would disappear with the marriage certificate after marriage and he would be left without a wife. Just imagine how heart-broken he would be if he really wanted a wife? What if he really wants to get married one day? Well, he'll find that he cannot do so because he is legally married to this China woman. Goodness knows where she'll be then. Only after he declined the first offer that he was being told about the truth of this fake marriage transaction. This 'sham marriage syndicate church' had no choice but to give him money to lure him into doing something illegal. The members of this church were very persuasive and they even tried to convince him to help this China woman saying that he should help people whenever he could. Does it mean that to "help people whenever he could" he must enter into a sham marriage? Is helping people through sham marriages one of the crossover projects of this Protestant church?

The marriage offer aside, how come no one ever says that this particular church is a cult? In fact it is regarded as a respectable Protestant church by many people. Quite a prominent one too! If such a 'sham marriage syndicate church' cannot be regarded as a cult, then why is it that Medjugorje is accused of being a Satanic cult? Whatever the situation may be Medjugorje will NOT do this kind of fake marriage business and promote prostitution. Which is more Satanic? The rented-flat 'sham marriage syndicate church' or Medjugorje? Think of it! 

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read IF YOU WANT TO GET RICH QUICK, START A CULT; Beware of Greedy, Selfish and Money-Hungry Pastors; MEDJUGORJE: FAITH OR FRAUD?; and IS MEDJUGORJE A HOAX AND A MONEY MAKING SCAM? To view the content page of this blog, please click here. 

Reference:

Dictionary of the Supernatural by Petre Underwood.

GOING UP PODBRDO HILL (APPARITION HILL)

Podbrdo Hill, also known as Apparition Hill, is the name of the place where the visionaries first saw Our Lady. Be it day or night, pilgrims can be seen climbing towards the place of the first apparition. This place has been marked by a pile of rocks, with a simple cross placed in the middle.

A photo of Podbrdo Hill taken while I was walking towards the hill.

The Blue Cross at the foot of Podbrdo Hill. There are two of them. Below is another one. Those who cannot afford to climb the arduous hill can sit and recite the rosary in front of the blue cross.

How did the story of the Blue Cross begin? On 27 July 1982, on his way to the apparition site, Ivan (one of the visionaries) suddenly knelt down. Our Lady warned Ivan that the communist police were waiting for him there. The place where Ivan knelt became the site of today's Blue Cross. A second blue cross was later placed close to the first one. Instead of going to the apparition site, Ivan and his prayer group met at the foot of the hill - the place where the Blue Crosses are now. The Blue Cross had since became the secret meeting place for Ivan's prayer group. There have been many apparitions at the Blue Cross.

See how steep and rocky Podbrdo Hill is! Certainly NOT an easy climb.

Above are two of the bronze reliefs of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary on Podbrdo Hill sculpted by Carmelo Puzzolo from Italy. (The reliefs of the Joyful and Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary were placed along the path leading up to the hill in 1989).

Two beautiful Medjugorje postcards. These are the scenes that you can see on Podbrdo Hill. In honour of the 20th anniversary of the apparitions, a statue of the Queen of Peace was placed at the very place of the apparitions. At first sight, this statue looks like the one in front of St. James Church. However, if you look at it carefully, you will notice that the features are slightly different.

I climbed Podbrdo Hill only once. When I went there for the second time with the intention to climb the hill again, it looked like it was going to rain. I changed my mind and after snapping some photos at the foot of the hill, I went to do some shopping before I went back to my hotel to prepare for church. Anyway, if I had climbed Podbrdo Hill that day, I would be late for church. That was also one reason why I decided not to climb Podbrdo Hill that day. I have never missed the Croatian Rosary (6.00 pm) and Croatian Mass (7.oo pm) at St. James Church during my stay in Medjugorje. In fact, every pilgrim feels that it is compulsory to be there in the evenings. (You can click here to go to the contents page of this blog)

THE MESSAGES OF MEDJUGORJE

According to the unanimous testimony of the visionaries, during the apparitions Our Lady gave them specific messages to be delivered to the world. Although there are many messages, they can be summarized into five fundamental ones because all the others imply, request and promote these five.

Peace
Already on the third day Our Lady gave as the first of all messages: "Peace, peace, peace and only peace!" She also repeated twice: "Peace must rule between man and God and among the people." Since visionary Marija saw the cross behind Our Lady while she was giving that message it was obvious that such peace comes only from God who became "our peace" (Epf 2,14) in Christ through Our Lady. The world cannot give that peace (Jn 14,27), and that is why Christ commanded His disciples to be the ones to bring it to the world (Mt 10,11) so that all people may become "sons of peace" (Lk 10,6).

That is why Our Lady as the "Queen of the Disciples" introduced Herself in Medjugorje as the "Queen of Peace". No one else is as capable as She to convince successfully the modern world faced with so many threats, that peace is the greatest and the most needed possession.

Faith
Our Lady's second message is faith. She speaks about it on the fourth, fifth and sixth day of the apparitions and generally repeats it often, which is understandable.

Without faith it is not possible to achieve peace. Furthermore, faith by its nature is an answer to the Word of God through which God not only reveals Himself but also gives himself to mankind. Through faith man receives the Word of God that has become "our peace" (Eph 2,14) in Christ. Receiving it, man becomes new with a new life of Christ within him. He becomes an inheritor of God's nature. (Pet 1,4; Eph 2,18).

In this way man is assured of peace both with God and his fellow man. No one knows the significance of faith and how much modern man needs it as Our Lady does. That is why on every occassion She emphasizes this message to the visionaries and entrusts them to spread it to others. She places it above everything that people seeks and sets it as the first condition for the fulfillment of all pleas, desires and requests, whether they pertain to health or any other need.

Conversion
Conversion is also one of the most frequent messages on the basis that people today have a very weak faith, if at all. Without faith it is impossible to achieve peace. True conversion means to cleanse the heart (Jer 4,14) because a corrupt heart creates and sustains bad relatiopnships and social systems. It creates and sustains unjust laws and vassal establishmensts. Without a radical change of the heart and conversion there is no peace. That is why Our Lady calls for frequent confession. This call applies to everyone. "There is no one just, not one... All have gone astray, all alike are worthless." (Rom 3, 11-12).

Prayer
Since the fifth day of the apparitions, nearly every day Our Lady recommends prayer. She calls all the people yto pray without ceasing just as Jesus asked. (Mk 9,28; Mt 8,34; Lk 11,5-13).

Prayer either awakens or strengthens faith, which enables man to have a proper relationship with God and his fellow man. Furthermore, through prayer, man manifests his life's connection with God: recognizes Him, gives him praise for received gifts and with confidence relies on him for all his needs, especially salvation. Prayer strenghthens this attitude and helps man achieve a proper relationship with God. Without a proper relationship it is not possible to keep and promote peace with God or one's fellow man.

The justification of prayer is especailly evident in that the Word of God is directed to man and there is a need for man to respond to it by word. The answer is verbalized faith or prayer, through which faith encourages, restores, strengthens and supports itself.

Furthermore, through prayer man convincingly proclaims God and the gospel, enflaming faith in others. The word of prayer at the same time purifies and shapes human life.

Fasting
Already since the sixth day of the apparitions Our Lady has started recommending fasting because it serves faith. Fasting helps man to examine, confirm and ensure self-control.

Only a self-controlled person can be free and capable of serving God and his fellow man as faith demands. Fasting warrants that man's serving in faith is sincere and certain. It helps man to be liberated of all enslavement, in the first place of sin. Whoever cannot control himself is a slave. Furthermore, fasting helps man restrain his desire for excessive pleasure, which easily lead to inconsiderate spending of temporal goods needed by the poor for mere survival.

Fasting makes it possible to obtain the goods that can become living signs of love for the needy and poor and reduces the differences between the poor and rich. Fasting heals the lack of some by the excess of others and vice versa.

So in its own way, fasting helps establish the form of peace that has been especially endangered by the enormous differences between the rich and the poor (south and north). Consequently, form Our Lady's messages it is obvious that peace is our greatest good and that faith, conversion, prayer and fasting are the sole means through which it can be achieved.

Fasting on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays is Our Lady's message. Many have really learned to fast in Medjugorje.

Special Messages
Along with the five main messages Our Lady has given at the beginning for all mankind, since March 1, 1984 She has started to give, mainly through Marija Pavlovic, special messages for the Medjugorje parish and the pilgrims.

Besides six visionaries Our Lady has chosen the whole parish and all the pilgrim for Her witnesses and collaborators. This is evidenced in Her first message: "I have chosen this parish in a special way and I want to lead it." She confirmed this again later: "In a special way I have chosen this parish, one more dear to me than the others, in which I have gladly remained when the Almighty sent me." (March 21, 1985) She even mentioned the reason of Her choice: "You in the parish, be converted" (March 8, 1984) "I beseech you especially those from this parish, to live my messages." (August 16, 1984).

The parishioners and the pilgrims are the ones who must become the first witnesses of Her apparitions and messages so that they may join Her and the six visionaries in realization of Her plan of the conversion of the world and its reconciliation with God.

Our Lady knows very well the weaknesses of the parishioners and pilgrims She wants to work with in the salvation of the world. She is aware that supernatural strength is needed to achieve this goal. That is why with Her messages She directs and leads them toward the sources of that power. Prayer is in the first place. She recommends prayer fervently in almost all Her messages.

(This article is written by Father Ljudevit Rupcic, O.F.M. in the book entitled MEDJUGORJE.) Please click here to view the contents page of this blog.

A MESSAGE OF PEACE FROM MEDJUGORJE

Statue of the Queen of Peace, Medjugorje

When Yugoslavia's communist dictator, Josip Broz Tito, died in 1980, there was fear and uncertainty in the country amid an economic depression. As a multi-ethnic federation of six republics, namely, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (including Vojvodina and Kosovo) and Slovenia, what was going to happen to Tito's united Yugoslavia following his death? Would the death of Tito also mean the death of Yugoslavia? These were the questions which many would like to have answers during those days of economic hardship and turbulence. However, the Mother of God was watching over Her children and it did not take very long before she made her first appearance in a remote village called Medjugorje, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

One year after Tito's death, on June 24, 1981, six Croatian village kids (2 boys and 4 girls) aged from 10 to 16, began to report visions of the Mother of God. From that moment, things would never be the same again for Medjugorje. The Mother of God had since continued to appear to them, almost every day, to convey the messages of the Gospel, calling for peace, prayer, penance and conversion. During the turbulent decade following Tito's death, at a time when peace was hard to come by, Our Lady of Medjugorje identified Herself to the visionaries as the "Queen of Peace". As what Jean Vanier says, "Peace is the fruit of love, a love that is also justice." Despite the war, Our Lady of Medjugorje attracted a growing number of pilgrims from all over the world to Medjugorje. Finding peace in war-torn Bosnia, none of those who made religious pilgrimages to Medjugorje was killed or injured. Many confessed and were reconciled with God and the Church. They returned to prayer and fasting thus renewing themselves in Christ. Faith brings peace and joy. Needless to say, the faithful who achieved true conversion have found genuine peace and joy in God's presence in this small village.

According to Father Slavko barbaric, peace can be attained through fasting as it helps us to gain self-control. In a way, fasting also makes us feel at peace. Peace can also be attained through prayer - it should be noted that prayer is not simply reciting the Our Fathers and Hail Marys as it goes much deeper than that. According to John Vianney, "Prayer is nothing else but union with God. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart." Through our prayers, God's presence becomes a part of us just like the oxygen that fills our lungs and arteries.

Our Lady of Medjugorje does not bring new revelations or new truths of the Christian faith to the world. The messages of Medjugorje are pure and simple as they are fundamentally identical to the messages of Lourdes and Fatima - these Gospel messages are calling for peace, prayer, penance, and conversion. Through Her messages to the visionaries, the Mother of God reminds us of the eternal truths of the Gospel, invites us to intensify our faith, revive our hope and strengthen our love. Her messages thus enable the faithful to find the true meaning of the Gospel. 

Peace I leave with you and my peace I give you. Do not be distressed and do not be fearful (John 14:27). Uniting ourselves with God through prayer is a source of peace as the Lord will give you continued peace in every possible way (2 Thessalonians 3:16). Taking hold of the peace we have and being at peace with God in the midst of our struggles, worries, and fears, will make our burdens of life seem much easier to bear. For those who wish to experience the peace of God and are looking for a place to calm their minds and overcome their stress, anxieties, and problems, why not make a trip to Medjugorje? In this beautiful place of peace, you can present your requests to God and the peace of God will guard over your hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7). Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

On 26 June 1981, the third day of the apparitions, Our Lady appeared to Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti while the seer was descending Podbrdo Hill. These were Her words to the visionary on that day:

Peace, peace, peace - and only peace.

Peace must rule between man and God

and also among the people! 

While Our Lady were saying these words, Marija could see a cross behind her, an obvious sign that this was a message from God. Now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through Our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). And let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts, since we were called to that peace as members of one body (Colossians 3:15).

On 6 August 1981, the word MIR (meaning peace in Croatian) could be seen on the sky over the Krizevac Cross and it was also on that day that Our Lady identified herself as the "Queen of Peace" during Her apparition to the visionaries. In today's chaotic world, peace is an essential factor in our lives. That is why Our Lady had specifically introduced herself as the Queen of Peace. For He will establish peace in the land that we may lie down to rest without fear (Leviticus 26:6).

The apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje are clear indications of her special role in the salvation of the world. They are signs of the Virgin Mary's presence in the Church and in the lives of the faithful. Apparitions have always been connected with the messages of God and renewed faith. That is why Medjugore is also known as a place for conversions and spiritual revival. 

You may also like to read THE MIRACLES OF MEDJUGORJE, SUPERNATURAL EVENTS IN MEDJUGORJE; THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY AT MEDJUGORJE; and IS MEDJUGORJE A SATANIC CULT? To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

1.  Medjugorje. Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje.

2.  The New American Bible. New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

ST. JAMES CHURCH, MEDJUGORJE

The old St. James Church

The Construction of the Old St. James Church

On 15 May 1892, the dream of the parishioners became a reality. The parish of Medjugorje was founded on this day and they could start building the church that they yearned for. The construction of the church began in 1895 under the leadership of the parish priest, Father Nikola Simovic, and was completed in 1897. The construction of the church was funded by the Franciscan province as well as the many Croatian benefactors living in the country and abroad.

The newly built old St. James Church was the pride of the parishioners and Franciscan friars. Father Andeo Nuic was the parish priest of Medjugorje from 1907 to 1914. Fifteen years after the church and its bell-tower were built, the parishioners who emigrated to the United States donated a 375.5kg church bell to the church. In 1911, the church had a new baroque altar that was made in Tyrol, Austria. Three years later, the statue of St. Anthony was added to the church.

Thirty years later, the walls of the old St. James Church began to crack and its bell-tower leaned to the left as the building began to sink. Since nothing could be done to restore the church, it became dangerous to use the building and the bells were removed and placed on the beams in front of the church. During the summer, Mass was celebrated in front of the church. However, during the winter, Mass could only be celebrated in the basement of the parish house. The old church was demolished in 1979.

The Construction of the New St. James Church

The new St. James Church

In 1934, under the leadership of Father Bernardin Smoljan, the construction of the new parish church with two pointed towers, designed by Stjepan Podhorsky, a famous architect from Zagreb, was approved. The new parish church was to be built on the land donated by the parishioners, located just west of the parish house, near the site of the old church. However, numerous difficulties arose and the church construction project did not progress as planned. Digging the foundation for the church started on 21 June 1935. It took 8 months to lay a 42 meter by 21 meter foundation  and build a 4 meter high stone wall. The construction of the church stopped during World War II and it was not until 17 October 1966 that the parish priest, Father Radovan Petrovic, together with the parishioners, restarted the construction of the church which began more than three decades earlier.

The altar inside St. James Church

The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes inside St. James Church

Money for the church building project was donated by the parishioners, particularly those who worked in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland as well as numerous others who emigrated overseas. The construction of the church was completed in a short time and was blessed by Bishop Petar Cule on 19 January 1969 in the presence of the parishioners and Father Rufin Silic, a renowned Franciscan and superior of the Herzegovinian province. After the construction of the bell-towers was completed in May and June 1969, the bells on the four oak trees in front of the old parish church were placed in them. The church floor was tiled with stone in 1976 and, in 1980, wooden benches were put in place. An altar made of local stone was built prior to that. Stained glass windows made by Branimir Dorotic, a Croatian artist from Zagreb, were used to decorate the church not long after the apparitions began.

Stained glass windows in the parish church by Branimir Dorotic

Stained glass windows in the church

Stained glass windows in the church

Since 1981, millions of Catholic pilgrims from all over the world flock to Medjugorje every year and St. James Church could no longer accommodate all of them. The church and its surrounding areas have therefore been reorganized to meet the needs of the growing number of pilgrims. 

The marble statue of the Queen of Peace in front of St. James Church 

In 1987, the marble statue of the Queen of Peace was put up in the square in front of the church. Dino Felici, the Italian artist and sculptor, sculpted it in accordance with the descriptions given by the visionaries. 

The exterior altar of St. James Church

An exterior altar was constructed next to the church in 1991. With about 5000 seats, it is the place where thousands of pilgrims gather during the summer not only to pray the rosary and celebrate mass but also for the various Medjugorje festivals. 

The Second Station of the Cross

The Seventh Station of the Cross

The Thirteenth Station of the Cross

The 14 Stations of the Cross, beautifully depicted in a series of sculptures by the famous Italian sculptor, Peppino Sacchi, were placed in the church in 1996. Those who are unable to climb Mount Krizevac can pray and meditate on the Passion of Christ before the carvings of this famous Italian sculptor. 

Today, Medjugorje has become the confessional of the world. 20 confessionals had been built around the church in 1991 and today they have about 50 confessionals. Millions of pilgrims come to Medjugorje for confession every year and thousands can be seen queueing up before the confessionals every day during the summer months. Numerous pilgrims have responded to the call of the Queen of Peace to conversion and reconciliation since the early days of the apparitions. 

You many also like to read THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY AT MEDJUGORJE; ARE THE MEDJUGORJE APPARITIONS AUTHENTIC?; and THE TRUTH ABOUT MEDJUGORJE BY FATHER DR. LJUDEVIT RUPCIC. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

MEDJUGORJE. Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje.