On June 15, 2023, begins the Novena in thanksgiving for 42 years of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace. In Medjugorje, the local people will pray the rosary at Apparition Hill every day at 4pm, and we unite with all our friends and with all the pilgrims all over the world through this Novena. The Novena ends on June 23, and on June 24, at 6am, we pray for peace in the “Peace March” which leads us in a Eucharistic procession from Humac to Medjugorje. We invite all Our Lady’s pilgrims, wherever they may be, to unite in a joyful prayer!
1st day: We pray for the Visionaries
Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic
Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic was born on September 3, 1964 and is the oldest of the visionaries. She was 16 years old when the apparitions began. Our Lady has entrusted Vicka with nine secrets. She has told Vicka her entire life story, which Vicka has written in some notebooks and will publish when Our Lady gives her the permission to do so. Our Lady has given Vicka a specific prayer mission – to pray for the sick. On January 26, 2002, Vicka married Mario Mijatovic, they have two children, and live in a town a few miles away from Medjugorje. Vicka continues to receive daily apparitions.
Ivan Dragicevic
Ivan Dragicevic was born on May 25, 1965 and was 16 years old when the apparitions began. Our Lady has entrusted Ivan with nine secrets. She also entrusted him with a specific prayer mission, to pray for priests, families and the youth of the world. Ivan married an American woman from Boston named Laureen. They have four children, and divide their time between Boston and Medjugorje. Ivan also continues to have daily apparitions.
Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti
Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti was born on April 1, 1965, and was 16 years old when the apparitions began. Every month, on the 25th, Our Lady gives a message for the world through Marija. The prayer mission that was entrusted to Marija is to pray for souls in purgatory. Marija is married to an Italian man named Paulo Lunetti, and they have four children. The family splits their time between Italy and Medjugorje. Thus far, Marija has been entrusted with nine secrets. She continues to receive daily apparitions of Our Lady as well.
Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo
Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo was born on March 18, 1965 and was 16 years old when the apparitions began. Unlike the rest of the visionaries, all of whom lived in Medjugorje full time, Mirjana lived in the capital city, Sarajevo, but came to Medjugorje to spend summer vacations with her relatives. Although she did not graduate, Mirjana is the only visionary to have attended college, having gone to the University of Sarajevo. Mirjana was the first visionary to stop having daily apparitions. On December 25, 1982, Our Lady entrusted Mirjana with the tenth secret, and, at that point, her daily apparitions ceased. On that date however, Our Lady told her she would appear to Mirjana every year on March 18, for the rest of her life. She also told her that, at some point later, she would appear to her again, for a specific purpose. Those apparitions began 5 years later, on August 2, 1987, when she gave Mirjana the mission to pray for unbelievers. Up until March 18, 2020, Mirjana saw Our Lady on the second day of every month, in addition to every March 18th. People generally assume Our Lady chose to appear to Mirjana on March 18 every year because that is her birthday, but Mirjana has said that it has nothing to do with her birthday, but that this date is significant for other reasons, which will be revealed at some point later. Mirjana is the first visionary to write a book, which is called “My Heart Will Triumph.” Mirjana married Marko Soldo; they have two children and live in Medjugorje.
Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez
Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez was born on July 21, 1966. She was 14 years old when the apparitions began, making her the youngest of the four female visionaries. Ivanka was the first of the six visionaries to see Our Lady. Ivanka’s mother died a month before the apparitions began, and during one of the early apparitions, Ivanka asked about her mother. Our Lady told Ivanka that her mother was in heaven, and then Ivanka’s mother was suddenly standing beside Our Lady. Ivanka was able to talk with her briefly. Over the years, Ivanka has been able to see her mother and speak with her five times. Ivanka continued to have daily apparitions until May 7, 1985, when Our Lady entrusted Ivanka with the tenth secret and then told her that she would no longer be appearing to her daily. She promised Ivanka that she would appear to her once a year, on June 25 (the anniversary of the Medjugorje apparitions) for the rest of her life. Her prayer mission is to pray for families. Ivanka was the first of the visionaries to get married. She lives with her husband Rajko Elez and their three children in Medjugorje.
Jakov Colo
Jakov Colo was born on March 6, 1971, and was ten years old when the apparitions began, making him the youngest of all the visionaries. Jakov’s father lived and worked far from the family, in Germany, and therefore Jakov was being raised primarily by his mother. His mother died two years after the apparitions began, however, basically leaving Jakov an orphan. On September 12, 1998, Jakov was traveling in the United States when Our Lady entrusted to him the tenth secret and told him his daily apparitions would come to an end. Our Lady also told Jakov she would appear to him every year on Christmas Day, for the rest of his life. Jakov struggled tremendously with this change. After his own mother died, the Blessed Mother became Jakov’s mother in the truest sense of the word, so this loss of the daily apparitions was very painful for him. The prayer mission that was entrusted to him is to pray for the sick. Jakov is married to an Italian woman named Annalisa, and they have 3 children. They live in Medjugorje.
Jakov Colo was born on March 6, 1971, and was ten years old when the apparitions began, making him the youngest of all the visionaries. Jakov’s father lived and worked far from the family, in Germany, and therefore Jakov was being raised primarily by his mother. His mother died two years after the apparitions began, however, basically leaving Jakov an orphan. On September 12, 1998, Jakov was traveling in the United States when Our Lady entrusted to him the tenth secret and told him his daily apparitions would come to an end. Our Lady also told Jakov she would appear to him every year on Christmas Day, for the rest of his life. Jakov struggled tremendously with this change. After his own mother died, the Blessed Mother became Jakov’s mother in the truest sense of the word, so this loss of the daily apparitions was very painful for him. The prayer mission that was entrusted to him is to pray for the sick. Jakov is married to an Italian woman named Annalisa, and they have 3 children. They live in Medjugorje.
1. Prayer to the Queen of Peace
Mary, Mother of God and Our Mother, Queen of Peace!
You came to us to lead us to God.
Obtain for us the grace not only to say:
"Be it done to me according to Your will!", but to live it, as You did.
Into Your hands we put our hands, so that You may lead us to Him amidst these afflictions and woes. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
2. Veni Creator Spiritus
Experience adoration and the singing of Veni Sancte Spiritus in Medjugorje
Come Holy Spirit, Creator, come
best gift of God above,
the living spring, the living fire,
sweet unction and true love.
3. Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
This first video is a slide slow of music and images of the entire mysteries of the Rosary found in Medjugorje. There are no words.
Texts for Meditation
SCRIPTURE
Jesus said to his disciples: "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them: "thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high." (Lk 24,44-49)
MESSAGE FROM HEAVEN
"Dear children! Today I thank you for living and witnessing to my messages with your life. Little children, be strong and pray so that prayer may give you strength and joy. Only in this way will each of you be mine and I will lead you on the way of salvation. Little children, pray and with your life bear witness to my presence here. May each day be a joyful witness for you of God's love. Thank you for having responded to my call." (Message, June 25, 1999)
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." (CCC 2559)
4. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Concluding prayer:
Lord, You call all Christians to be real witnesses of Your life and of Your love. Today, we thank You in a special way for the visionaries and for their mission in witnessing to the messages of the Queen of Peace. We present to You all of their needs. We pray for each one of them personally, that You may be near them, so that they may grow unceasingly in the experience of Your strength. We pray that You guide them to a deeper and more humble prayer in further witnessing to the presence of Our Lady in Medjugorje. Amen.
The Medjugorje Hymn
To the Mother and Queen of Peace
Click Here for .mp3 -
We come to you, dearest Mother,
from all quarters, from all nations;
bringing to you all our troubles
ardent wishes, aspirations.
Look upon us and console us,
lay your gentle hands upon us;
intercede with Jesus for us,
Mother of Peace, do pray for us.
All the faithful look up to you,
you the lodestar of salvation;
cleanse, embrace us, we pray to you,
bless all in the congregation.
Bijakovo, Medjugorje,
little hamlets spread the story,
bearing witness to your beauty
to your name and to your glory.
For all your love, dearest Mother
all the wonders that we have seen,
we give to you solemn promise
to be better than we have been.
Complete Novena found here:
http://medjugorje.org/anniversarynovena.htm
Biographies of Visionaries taken from Tekton Ministries Medjugorje Guide: https://www.tektonministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Medjugorje-Guide.pdf
© Janet Moore 2021. All Rights Reserved.
