This annual week-long MladiFest (Youth Festival) in Međugorje concluded on Friday and attracted thousands of Christian pilgrims from all over the globe.
Amidst the backdrop of the current turmoil sweeping the globe, in many corners of the planet there seems to be an undeniable resurgence of Christianity.
It seems to be led by a growing number of younger people discovering – or rediscovering – their own faith in God and the messages of peace, love and hope provided by Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Međugorje was this week the epicentre of that spiritual renaissance with thousands of Christian pilgrims – predominately those in the 40 years and under age bracket – descending on the small rural Herzegovnian hamlet to find their own inner peace.
From the moment you enter the town, one can feel ‘it’.
What is ‘it’?
Everyone is different and every individual will experience what this special place has to offer – or not experience anything at all – depending on their willingness to stop for a moment and open their hearts, minds and senses to whatever may be.
There is undeniably a unique and powerful energy present in Međugorje. Some would say supernatural.
Believers will tell you that the Virgin Mary, who first appeared to six young peasant children way back on June 24 in 1981 – and the apparitions have continued on a daily basis since – is ever present and they come to Međugorje for a multitude of reasons.
Be it to seek something in prayer, find themselves spiritually, to worship and praise the wonder of the Lord’s offerings or to simply offer gratitude for their current state.
There have been many documented incidents of lives changing – more often than not, for the better – by pilgrims who have made the trek to this far flung rural Croatian outpost in south western Bosnia Herzegovina.
As for non believers?
You don’t have to be a believer to know, to feel that something strange, something incredible, something indescribeable, is present in their air in this place.
As long as they are willing to stop for a moment, block out all the overwhelming hustle and bustle that seems to rule our lives today and open their hearts, minds and senses to the possibility of a truly spiritual ‘out of this world’ experience.
That was Međugorje this week…
