The Vatican has released its long-awaited assessment on the reported “apparitions” of the Virgin Mary in the village of Medjugorje in southern Bosnia. The head of the Vatican’s doctrine office, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, led a news conference to discuss what the Vatican referred to as “the spiritual experience of Medjugorje.”
In 1981, six children and teenagers claimed to have seen visions of the Madonna on a hill in Medjugorje. Some of the original “seers” have maintained that the visions have continued regularly, with messages from Mary. This has turned Medjugorje into a significant pilgrimage site for Christian believers, attracting millions of visitors over the years.
Unlike other established Catholic sanctuaries, the Vatican has never declared the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje as authentic. Concerns have been raised by local bishops and Vatican officials regarding the reliability and motivations of the “seers,” with suspicions of economic interests driving the reports of ongoing visions.
Medjugorje has seen a rise in religious tourism, boosting the local economy with various accommodations and services catering to pilgrims. The Vatican's investigation, initiated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, aimed to differentiate between the original reported visions and the current claims of continuous apparitions.
Pope Francis expressed skepticism about the ongoing visions in 2017, emphasizing the importance of spiritual conversion rather than daily messages. Despite doubts about the authenticity of the reported visions, Francis appointed envoys to oversee the shrine and allowed official church pilgrimages to Medjugorje in 2019.
The Vatican's new criteria for examining alleged visions aims to prevent exploitation of believers for financial gain. The outcome of the assessment is unlikely to definitively declare the Medjugorje phenomena as authentic, as the Vatican no longer issues such declarations unless an event is clearly a hoax.
Medjugorje plays a vital role in the economic development of the municipality of Citluk, attracting Christian pilgrims and hosting various events. With a potential increase in visitors due to global circumstances, Medjugorje remains a significant growth factor for the region.
