Medjugorje, a place to visit

We went on a pilgrimage with Rusconi Viaggi and stayed at the Skegro Pansion, which I consider very good, both for cleanliness and for the cooking. It is family-run and the owners have learned to cook Italian-style. The base agency is Sinferie of Sondrio, working with Rusconi. We spent 415 euros, all inclusive, for three actual days of stay, also because the coach journey is very long. I recommend going to see the Blue Cross and then climbing the Hill of Apparitions; the Church of St James; the Risen Christ; the tomb of Fra Slavko Barbaric and, for those who can, Mount Krizevac.

Saturday 22/9 We leave Sondrio, from the station square, at 5, with the Rusconi Viaggi coach. We are a fine group of 48 people, from all over the Valtellina. Pilgrimage group guide: Giovanna. Tourist guide of Rusconi Viaggi: Gianfranco, who takes care of each of us with an affable character. After various stops along the way, we stop in Zadar for the night.

Sunday 23/9 We leave Zadar at 7 to cover the last stretch of road as far as Medjugorje. We make several stops, but the loveliest is at Krk along the Croatian coast, where the sea cuts into the land again and again. In the coach park there is a fine statue of the Madonna with Child. We arrive in Medjugorje in the early afternoon. Settled in the hotel, shortly afterwards, together with Gianfranco we head to the "sacred" area where the Church of St James is located. Gianfranco explains to us all the places and all the buildings within the "sacred" area. Just after the entrance, on the right, there is a fine statue of the Virgin surrounded by a round iron railing, inside which is a flowerbed of always fresh flowers. Beside the church and beyond there are many confessionals and just as many possible priests who speak every language.

Behind the Church, to allow pilgrims to find enough space, a huge round altar has been built, supported by steel pillars and covered by a fine white cloth. On the esplanade in front of the altar they have placed a great many wooden and iron benches that can seat up to 5000 pilgrims! From 5 p.m. onwards there is the continuous Rosary; then at 6 there is Holy Mass, which you can follow in your own language with a special little radio or with a mobile-phone radio.

Unlike other places of pilgrimage, Medjugorje has very soft, but very effective, musical accompaniment during the celebrations, with a guitar that is sometimes "supported" by a violin. We follow the Holy Mass and then set off to see the Cross located a short distance away, just after the stations of the Way of the Cross. This Cross is very special because it represents the Risen Jesus and, behind him, there is the empty tomb with the imprint of His body. It is in bronze and is the work of a Croatian sculptor who was literally "inspired by chance". In recent years it has emitted a liquid that all the pilgrims try to collect on their handkerchiefs. At the end of the visit to the Cross, we return to the hotel for dinner. Since after 8 p.m. there are always celebrations, we always go to the "sacred" area to follow them.

MONDAY 24/9 A truly full day awaits us. Wake-up at 6 to go, by coach, and follow live the testimony of Vicka, one of the visionaries. We arrive around 7.30 and after an hour and a half, during which we recite the Rosary, the visionary arrives with a large bodyguard. It is truly beautiful to see her dressed so simply and dispensing smiles, greetings and kisses continually throughout her testimony, which is very touching and full of Love. At the end, we set off towards the Blue Cross, a hill on which one of the visionaries often stands to pray the Rosary together with the pilgrims. After a short stop, we climb the Hill of Apparitions, where the Madonna appeared for the first times to the six visionaries back in 1981. The ground on the hill is very rough, with many brambles, sharp stones, and it is quite difficult for those not used to mountain climbs.

During the climb we pray with the Mysteries of the Rosary and at each station we stop for a brief pause in recollection. At the top of the Hill there is a statue of the Virgin, identical to the one in the "sacred" area. We remain free to pray, reflect and meditate in the surrounding area. In the afternoon we go to visit the "Comunità Cenacolo" led by Mother Elvira, which welcomes all young people who are victims of various addictions, especially drug addicts. They show us a film about the Mother's work and then we listen to the touching testimony of two young people from the Community. At 6 we follow Holy Mass again and then, after dinner, we go to see the space dedicated to candles. I do not forget that today is the Feast of Saint Pio and it seems to me that the Madonna looks down on us all together with the Holy Friar.

TUESDAY 25/9 An intense day is expected today too, especially for those who will climb Mount Krizevac reciting the Way of the Cross; for those like me, who cannot climb, there is a meeting at the hotel with Sister Lorenza, one of the most efficient, lively, enthusiastic and well-prepared nuns I know. I suggest to Sister Lorenza that, in addition to the classic readings, she add for each station the messages of the Madonna linked to the same stations and revealed to the visionaries on various dates. After the Way of the Cross and before the Holy Mass in Italian, we go to the cemetery, again in the same area, to visit the tomb of Father Slavko Barbaric. The Lord wanted him with Him early because he believed in the young people at once and always defended and followed them like a true father.

After following the Holy Mass in Italian, celebrated with several priests, we meet up with the others for lunch. In the afternoon we go to visit the "Village of the Mother", an institution created for abandoned children, teenage mothers and drug addicts. It was founded by the great Father Slavko Barbaric in 1993 and placed near a very evocative green oasis with little lakes and waterfalls, set in a wood. At the chapel of the Village, Father Tullio celebrates a Holy Mass entirely for us. At 9 p.m. we all returned to the "sacred" area for the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, during which there were many moments of recollection and prayer. This event, very important for us Christians, concluded our stay-pilgrimage in Medjugorje.