Medjugorje the First Days

Medjugorje Mir - Medjugorje Pilgrim Services

First Day

On the first day, about six o’clock in the afternoon, on the locally called Podbrdo (on the slopes of Mount Crnica) six young people: Vicka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, Ivan Ivankovic and Milka Pavlovic saw a marvelous young woman with a baby in her arms. This time she didn’t say anything, but only beckoned them to come closer. But they, surprised and frightened, fled away although the immediately thought it was Our Lady.

The Second Day

On the second day, 25 June 1981, the young people, as agreed earlier, set out for the same place where Our Lady had appeared to them the day before in a hope to see her again. Suddenly a light flashed and they saw Our Lady, but this time without the child in her arms. She was indescribably beautiful, joyous and smiling. And again she beckoned them to come closer to her. This time the youngsters had more courage and came up to her. They fell on her knees instantly and started praying Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be. Our Lady prayed with them, too. After the prayer she started talking with them. First Ivanka asked her about her mother who had died two months ago. And Mirjana asked Gospa for a sign so that people could see that they where not lying and that they are not insane as some had already started to assert. At the end Our Lady dismissed the children with the words,

“Good-Bye, my angels”.

But before that, asked if she would appear again the next day, she nodded with her head conformingly.

This whole scene was, as the children testify indescribable. On the second day two of the children who had seen Gospa on the previous day where not on the Hill of Apparitions: Ivan Ivankovic and Milka Pavlovic. Instead of them Gospa favored Marija Pavlovic and Jakov Colo. Since then Our Lady has been appearing regularly to these six youngsters, according to their testimony. And Milka Pavlovic and Ivan Ivankovic, who had been present on the first day and seen Our Lady, have had no visions since although they used to join other visionaries on several occasions later in hope to see her again.

The Third Day

On the 26 June 1981 the youngsters were impatiently waiting for six in the afternoon, the same time at which Gospa had appeared on two previous days. They set out for the same spot to meet her. They where overjoyed, but this joy was mixed with the fear and uncertainty about what was going to come out of it. But in spite of that the youngsters felt an inner force drawing them to Our Lady.

Soon, while they were still on the way, a light shot for three times. This was an indication both for them and for the others who where following them where Our Lady was. This time she appeared a bit higher o than the previous days. Then for a moment Our Lady disappeared but when the visionaries started to pray, she reappeared. And again she was wonderful, serene, joyous and smiling.

When leaving home, at suggestion of some elderly woman, a man from the crowd who followed the children to the place of apparitions took some holy water with him for the children to sprinkle the apparition and so to insure themselves against Satan. When they where with Gospa, Vicka took a bit of this water and sprinkled the apparitions with it saying, “If you are Gospa, stay with us; if not, go away from us.”

Our Lady only smiled and remained with them. Then Mirjana asked her what her name was and she replied,

“I am the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

That same day, while the visionaries were coming down the Hill of Podbrdo, Our Lady appeared once again, but only to Marija this time, and said,

“Peace, Peace, Peace and only Peace.”

There was a Cross behind her. And then, through tears, she repeated Twice,

“Peace must come to reign between God and man, between man and man.”

The Fourth Day

On 27 June Our Lady appeared three times. This time too, the visionaries asked her all kinds of questions and she replied. For the priests she said,

“Let the priests believe firmly and keep the faith of the people”.

Mirjana and Jakov asked her again to leave a sign, for a rumor was going round that these youngsters where liars and drug addicts. Our Lady replied,

“Have no fear”.

Before parting, asked whether she would come back again Gospa nodded “yes” with her head. While the children where coming down the Hill of Podbrdo on the way back home, Our Lady appeared once again and than finally parted with the children saying,

“Good-bye, my angels. Go in peace”.

The Fifth Day

On 28 June 1981 a huge crowd from all parts started to gather very early. By noon some fifteen thousand people had gathered. The same day the parish priest, Fr. Jozo Zovko, questioned the visionaries on all they had seen in those few past days.

At the usual time Gospa appeared again. The youngsters prayed with her and then asked her about certain things. Vicka, for example asked her, “My dear Gospa, what you want from us?” Our Lady replied,

“Let the people pray and believe firmly”

“My dear Gospa, what do you expect from your priests?” asked Vicka again.

“Let them believe firmly and help others to do the same”,

was Our Lady’s answer.

On that day Our Lady appeared and disappeared several times. Once the visionaries asked her why she would not appear in the church for all people to see her. Our Lady replied,

“Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe”.

Although the day was sultry and the people, pressed them with their many questions, the visionaries felt like in heaven.