The apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Međugorje began on June 25, 1981, when she spoke for the first time to the children – the visionaries. On the first day, Ivanka Ivanković, Mirjana Dragićević, Vicka Ivanković, Ivan Dragićević, Ivan Ivanković and Milka Pavlović, in an area called Podbrdo (on Crnica Hill, today Apparition Hill) saw a beautiful woman with a child in her arms, whom they recognized as Our Lady. They got scared and ran away. Despite their fear, they went to Podbrdo at the same time the next day. Our Lady appeared without a child, indescribably beautiful and joyful. They fell to their knees and began to pray, and after the prayer Our Lady spoke to them. Ivan Ivanković and Milka Pavlović were not on Apparition Hill that day. Marija Pavlović and Jakov Čolo came instead. Since then, according to their testimony, Our Lady appeared to them every day.
Our Lady always calls for peace as the greatest good, and peace can only be achieved through faith, conversion, prayer and fasting. She also included the six Međugorje visionaries in the plan to save humanity. Each of them has a special task and intention for which they pray. Mirjana, Ivanka and Jakov each received 10 secrets and have apparitions once a year. Ivan, Vicka and Marija each received nine secrets and still have daily apparitions. According to their testimony, the events and secrets of Međugorje relate to the future of the Church, humanity, Međugorje and the visionaries.
(Željka Šaravanja)
