Medjugorje

Pope Francis told participants at the annual International Youth Festival Medjugorje to let Mary inspire and guide them.

Europe’s Catholic shrines have followed directives for combating the coronavirus by tightly restricting organized events, although some pledged to stay open for Masses and pastoral care.

Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, is a place of prayer, conversion and pilgrimage for millions of people, but the church must be prudent and not rush to any judgment on the alleged Marian apparitions there, said Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.

Senior Vatican representatives joined dozens of bishops and hundreds of priests at the first officially approved church youth festival at the site Aug. 2-6, 2019, three months after Catholic pilgrimages were authorized by the pope.

Pope Francis has decided to allow parishes and dioceses to organize official pilgrimages to Medjugorje; no decision has been made on the authenticity of the apparitions.

Archbishop Henryk Hoser is tasked with overseeing Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Medjugorje shrine and has outlined plans for expansion, including more Masses in different languages and facilities for young pilgrims who flock to the site of the alleged Marian apparitions.

A Polish archbishop who inspected Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Medjugorje shrine for the pope predicted the Vatican will soon recognize its Marian apparitions.

While the investigations into the very first alleged apparitions at Medjugorje in must continue, Pope Francis said he has doubts about claims that Mary continues to appear in the village of Bosnia-Herzegovina.