The community we are staying with us called Nuovi Orizzonti, a community started by a woman that was concerned with the people living in the streets around Rome affected by drugs. After many years s of hard work and generous donations communities have grown to include this one at Medjugorgie that now service the poor and also are currently housing Ukrainian families affected by the war.
An early morning start with the community involved morning prayer, adoration, lectio devina (gospel sharing) and mass. After this Fr Richard and myself went into Medjugorgie to have a look around.
First stop apparition hill.
Apparition hill is called so as this is the site where the first alleged (as they have not been approved by the church as yet) apparitions started over 40 years ago. To there is now a statue of Our Lady looking over the town of Medjugorgie.
As you can see the hill is completely covered in rocks and makes assent and decent very difficult. The hill has a circuit of rosary stations which loops up and around the Marian statue.
After descending the hill we had a bite to eat and went to visit the Cenacelo community who offer a rehabilitative life for drug affected mainly young men ( in this community anyway) through abstinence, work, community life and most importantly prayer which includes rosary three times a day, daily adoration, mass and frequent confession.
I have visited a few Cenacolo communities in my time in Europe in Fatima, and Ars but the Medjugorgie community is by far the biggest and most established with multiple buildings and accommodation rooms.
We were privileged enough to be allowed into their chapel for a quick prayer.
On the way back from Cenacelo we stopped in at the Divine Mercy shrine only recently built and prayed a DM chaplet as part of the DM novena to that will finish this coming Sunday.
After our DM prayers we went St James the greater Church for afternoon rosary. The church was completely full and the outside was well patronized too.
Final stop in town today was the statue of the Crisifix Jesus, where it is said to be weeping fluid from the knee. People were lined up with swabs wiping it away to take with them. Fr Richard contemplating the goings on in the foreground.
Hi Anthony
This is the first time that I've seen your marvellous blog as I'm not into copying those great long links, but for some reason Claire in Pirie has sent me the electronic parish bulletin.
Will look at more some other time, but had to look at your Medjugorgie visit
I was there in 1996 and visited the Cenacela Community and have often wondered hpw some of the guys there ended up. Have a photo of one young guy at their bakers oven, and other images of their chapel.
Apparition Hill wasn't an easy climb as I had no idea what to expect.
The big outdoor basilica was under construction at the time
Anyway was good to see you…