The Nihil obstat for Medjugorje

By Martine Kablan On Sep 24, 2024

Public worship of Our Lady of Medjugorje authorised

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in its document published on September 19, 2024 entitled: ‘The Queen of Peace’ Note about the spiritual experience connected with Medjugorje and signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and by Monsignor Armando Matteo, respectively prefect and secretary for the doctrinal section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith writes that ‘The time has come to conclude a long and complex history that has surrounded the spiritual phenomena of Medjugorje. History in which bishops, theologians, commissions, and analysts have expressed a series of divergent opinions.’

The document below provides a summary of the positive fruits of this spiritual experience and also points out some necessary clarifications. The Dicastery invites those who go to Medjugorje ‘to accept that pilgrimages are not made to meet with alleged visionaries but to have an encounter with Mary, the Queen of Peace’. Authorising public worship, he concludes by inviting the Church authorities to “appreciate the pastoral value of this spiritual proposal, and even to promote its spread”.

A brief history of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje

Since its first apparitions, this religious phenomenon, born in a small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has attracted pilgrims from all over the world. Slowly, Medjugorje has become one of the most visited places of pilgrimage in the world, attracting millions of people each year in search of spiritual healing, conversion and answers.

The Marian apparitions of Medjugorje began on 24 June 1981 at around 6pm. Six young villagers from the parish claim to have seen the Virgin Mary on a rocky hill at a place called Podbrdo. Ivanka Ivankovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, Vicka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic, Ivan Ivankovic and Milka Pavlovic. According to the visionaries, they saw a white figure with a baby in its arms. Surprised and frightened, they did not approach it.

The next day at the same time, 25.6.1981, strongly drawn towards the place of the previous day, they saw what they recognised as Our Lady. They prayed and talked to Her.

Our Lady had appeared to them as the ‘Queen of Peace’ (Kraljica Mira), asking them to pray for peace and the conversion of the world.

Since that day, the apparitions have followed regularly, and some of the visionaries claim that they still see Our Lady in daily or annual meetings. This makes the apparitions some of the longest and most numerous in the history of Catholicism, and they have attracted the attention of many. The Catholic Church has always maintained a cautious stance, while recognising today the spiritual value of Medjugorje as a place of pilgrimage.

Some of the last messages the visionaries would have received

Our Lady is said to have revealed to the visionary Mirjana Dragićević-Soldo that she would have annual apparitions on 18 March each year. With more than a thousand pilgrims gathered for the prayer of the rosary, the apparition of 18 March 2024 left this message: ‘Dear children, by the merciful love of God, I am with you. That is why, as a mother, I am calling you to believe in love — the love that is union with my Son. With love you help others to open their hearts to come to know my Son and to come to love Him. My children, love makes it for my Son to illuminate your hearts with His grace, to grow in you and to give you peace. My children, if you live love, if you live my Son, you will have peace and you will be happy. In love is victory. Thank you. ‘

The visionary Ivanka Ivanković Elez had her regular annual apparition on 25 June 2024 in her home. After the apparition here are the words of the visionary Ivanka: Our Lady said: ‘My children, pray, pray. Receive my motherly blessing.’

Jakov Colo would have the apparition once a year, on the 25th December, at Christmas. So on 25 December 2023, Our Lady came with the Child Jesus in her arms with this message : ‘Dear children, today with my Son in my arms, I desire to call all of you to pray to the little Jesus for the healing of your heart. Children, often in your hearts sin rules which destroys your life and you can not feel God’s presence. That is why, on this day of grace, when grace is spreading throughout the whole world, surrender your life and your heart to the Lord, so that the Lord may heal them with His grace. Only with pure hearts will you be able to experience the birth of Jesus anew in you, and the light of His birth will illuminate your life. I bless you with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call. ‘’

The content of the Medjugorje messages

According to the testimony of the visionaries, Our Lady gave many specific messages during Her apparitions. They revolve around peace, prayer and conversion and it is possible to trace them back to five basic messages:

Peace: Our Lady presented herself in Medjugorje expressly as the ‘Queen of Peace’.

Faith: Our Lady calls for a return to faith and religious practice.

Conversion: Our Lady tirelessly calls for regular confession.

The Prayer: Our Lady recommends prayer and invites all to pray the Rosary daily.

The Fast: Our Lady often recommends fasting, for peace in the world.

Our Lady would also have entrusted to the visionaries some ‘secrets’, not yet revealed, which would concern the destiny of humanity.

The fruits of Medjugorje

The apparitions of the Queen of Peace have been and continue to be followed by numerous miraculous healings, both physical and spiritual. Medjugorje remains a focal point for those seeking a deeper connection with their spirituality. As written in the document of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith there have been ‘abundant conversions’ of people who have discovered or rediscovered the faith; a return to confession and sacramental communion, numerous vocations, ‘many reconciliations between spouses and the renewal of marriage and family life’. Charity works have also sprung up to care for orphans, drug addicts, the disabled and there are also groups of Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

Our Lady of Medjugorje is a complex and fascinating phenomenon. Her messages of peace and conversion still touch the hearts of millions today. Regardless of official recognition by the Church, her spiritual impact is undeniable and continues to influence the lives of those who go there.

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