Medjugorje is a city in the middle of Herzegovina and Bosnia where people usually go for recreation, replenishing of the spirit, and, of course, visiting its many attractions. They city draws people from all around the world because its history has great religious significance; knowing a bit about this Medjugorje history will surely come in handy during your visit to the city. 

The Name

The name “Medjugorje” literally means “between the hills”, Medjugorje is situated in the western part of Herzegovina. There are an estimated 4,000 people living in the tiny town. The name of the town is connected to the “Blessed Virgin Mary,” commonly referred to as “Our Lady of Medjugorje”.

The Apparition

This small city consists of five communities where the Virgin Mary is thought to have appeared to 6 Croatians. On the 24th of June in 1981, at about 6 p.m. in the evening, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to six children from the Village Bijakovići in Medjugorje. Because of the children’s testimony, this place has become a popular pilgrimage spot. From that time on, the place has been named “The Hills of Apparitions” in remembrance of the historical event.

Pilgrimage Site

For many years now, Medjugorje has been the very place where many people claim that Mary moved their spirits and hearts, and they believe that this will carry on as long as they keep on coming back to the hills. Today, people travel to the place in groups, calling their journey as a “pilgrimage”.

Marian Shrine

After the apparition to the six children in 1981, the history of Medjugorje suddenly faced a major turning point. A shrine has now been built and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. However, the Roman Catholic Church has not officially recognized the shrine, which makes it one of the largest unrecognized Catholic shrines in the whole world. Though the shrine is unrecognized, it still continues to draw thousands of devout Catholics from all corners of the world in the hope of seeing visions, which some claim to have received while visiting the shrine.

The Queen of Peace

For Catholic pilgrims, Medjugorje is a common attraction because of its statue called the “Queen of Peace,” erected on the 20th anniversary of the vision as an endowment from Korean pilgrims in 2001. It is a place where religious groups usually congregate.