June 18th and 19th   (16 hours traveling)

Day 1 Depart LAX > Cincinnati > Frankfurt > Split
Day 2 Arrival in Split, bus ride to Medjugorje along the Adriatic Coast and country side of Crotia,

            met our host family and ate dinner they made for us.  

I did not think to bring an extra camera battery pack... and I used the battery from camera for light as David ( my brother) and I felt our way in the pitch dark catacomb for the martyrs... the communist had killed 30 monks and priest, then burned their bodies in the underground catacomb.

...so I am sharing a few pictures of our pilgrimage, adding more later as others from our pilgrimage share theirs pictures.

View from Apparition Hill before a nighttime apparition. 

IVANKA IVANKOVIC-ELEZ

Born in Bijakovici on June 21, 1966.

Married Raiko Elez on December 18, 1986.

The couple has three children.

The first of the visionaries to marry.

The first of the visionaries to see Our Lady on Wednesday 24 June, 1981.

Her daily apparitions ended May 7, 1985.

Still has an annual apparition on June 25, the anniversary of the apparitions.

Has received all 10 secrets.

Lives a discreet, almost private life with her family, close to the village of Medjugorje.

Prayer mission is to pray for families.

Annual Apparition, June 25, 2004

The visionary Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez had her regular annual apparition on June 25th 2006.

She was the first to see Our Lady, her last daily apparition was May 7, 1985 and was the second to receive the last of ten secrets. Our Lady also told Ivanka she would appear to her for the rest of her life on June 25th, the anniversary of the first apparition. This has happened each year. Ivanka was the first visionary to marry. She married Raiko Elez on December 28, 1986, they have three children and live in the parish of Medjugorje. Of the visionaries, Ivanka is the least seen and seldom speaks to pilgrims. She has chosen to live a quiet life with her family. She has said. "We simply must pray more and live the messages of Medjugorje".

VICKA IVANKOVIC-MIJATOVIC

Born in Bijakovici on September 3, 1964.

The oldest of the Medjugorje visionaries.

Married Mario Mijatovic on January 26, 2002, in Gruda, a small village near to Medjugorje.

Their first child, Maria-Sofia, was born January 2003. The second, Anton was born October 2004.

The family lives in Krehin Gradac, near Medjugorje.

One of three visionaries who still has daily apparitions.

Has received 9 secrets.

Cousin of Jakov.

Her prayer mission is to pray for the sick.

Vicka received the ninth secret on April 23, 1986, her daily apparitions continue to this day.Vicka still lives in her parent's home and is the most visible and spends many hours each day speaking with the pilgrims about the messages Gospa is giving to the world. When Our Lady indicated that one of the older seers should remain at Medjugorje during school days so that young seer, Jakov, would not be left alone, Vicka volunteered and quit school. Mary has given Vicka an account of her life. To date, Our Lady has not allowed the release of the book. Vicka has been asked by Our Lady on many occasions if she would accept extra sufferings and Vicka has always given her fiat. Vicka is the most vivacious and wins you over with her beautiful and bright smile. Vicka has said, "Great things are happening here; Our Lady is among us. She wishes to attract everyone to her Son. That's the reason she has been coming so long and so often".

IVAN DRAGICEVIC

Born in Bijakovici on May 25, 1965.

Married to Laureen Murphy on October 23, 1994 at St. Leonard's Church in Boston, America.

They have three children, two girls and a boy.

The family live half the year in America and the rest in Medjugorje.

One of three visionaries who still has daily apparitions.

Has received 9 secrets.

Prayer mission is to pray for priests and young people.

He has received nine of the ten secrets. Ivan is the eldest of two brothers. Their father, Stanko, and mother, Zlata, his two brothers, both married with children make their home in Biokivici.  Ivan tried Seminary life and also spent a year in the military service, in a tank regiment, near Ljubluna in Slovenia. He married Laureen Murphy on October 23, 1994 at St. Leonard's Church in Boston, MA. Their first daughter Kristina  was born in October of 1995 and on January 15, 1999 had their second daughter Mikayla. Ivan and his wife live in Boston and return quite often to Medjugorje. Ivan has traveled extensively, more than any of the other visionaries, always spreading Our Lady's messages of peace, prayer, conversion and penance.Ivan has grown in great wisdom and knowledge and exudes confidence in his character and deep spirituality. He has said, "Thereupon the Mother of God invited us to say the five glorious mysteries of the rosary in front of the cross..."

JAKOV COLO

Born in Bijakovici on March 6, 1971.

Was only 10 years old when he experienced his first apparition.

Married Annalisa, an Italian, at St. James Church in Medjugorje on Easter Sunday, 1993.

They live with their three children, two girls and a boy, in Medjugorje.

His daily apparitions ended September 12, 1998, while in America.

His annual apparition is on Christmas Day.

Has received all 10 secrets.

Prayer mission is to pray for the sick.

Annual apparition, December 25, 2004

The youngest of the visionaries, Jakov was abandoned by his father and then orphaned of his mother in the early days of the apparitions when he was only ten. His wordless testimony to the apparitions was very powerful at that time, his face in ecstasy being something that could not conceivably have been faked. After avoiding pilgrims for a long time through shyness, he later became more confident and now talks to pilgrim groups. He married in 1993, and now has two girls and a boy, and lives in Medjugorje. Since receiving the tenth secret in September 1997, Jakov now has an apparition once a year, on Christmas Day.

MIRJANA DRAGICEVIC-SOLDO

Born in Sarajevo on March 18, 1965.

Was on holiday staying with her grandmother in Bijakovici at the time of the first apparition on 24 June, 1981.

Married Marko Soldo at St James' Church in Medjugorje on September 16, 1989.

The couple live in Medjugorje with their two daughters.

Mirjana's daily apparitions ended December 25, 1982.

Still receives an apparition on the second day of each month which the public are invited to and asked to pray for unbelievers.

Also receives an annual apparition on her birthday, 18 March.

Was the first to receive all 10 secrets.

Prayer mission is to pray for unbelievers.

MARIJA PAVLOVIC-LUNETTI

Born in Bijakovici on April 1, 1965.

Married Paolo Lunetti in Milan on September 8, 1993. They now live in Italy with their four children, all boys.

Spends some time of the year in Medjugorje.

Her sister, Milka, along with Vicka, joined Ivanka and Mirjana on the first day of the apparitions when they returned to the hillside a second time. Milka was not allowed to return the next day, and Marija went instead.

Cousin of Jakov.

Receives our Lady's message for the world each month.

One of three visionaries who still has daily apparitions and has received nine secrets.

Prayer mission is to pray for the consecrated, priests and religious.

Through her, Our Lady conveys the monthly message to the world on the 25th of every month. Marija was married to Paulo Lunetti on September 8, 1993. Marija gave birth to her third son on July 19, 1997, in Monza Italy. Marija lives part of the time in Italy, where her husband Paulo is in business, but the two of them have a home in Medjugorje and return often. She has two sisters and three brothers. Her sister Milka, was present at the first apparition and has talked in America). She gave one of her kidneys to her brother, Andrija, in a transplant operation at a university hospital in Birmingham, Alabama,USA, in late 1988. Marija has a contemplative nature. When one looks at her it is as if she pierces your soul. She has said, "It is not I, it's Our Lady who urges us to nurture prayer, to propagate peace and to fast. She says that everyone who comes to Medjugorje must be converted".

Overview of Medjugorje

Since 1981, in a small village in Bosnia-Hercegovina named Medjugorje, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been reportedly appearing and giving messages to the world. She tells us that God has sent Her to our world and, these years she is spending with us are a time of Grace granted by God. In Her own words She tells us, "I have come to tell the world that God exists. He is the fullness of life, and to enjoy this fullness and peace, you must return to God".

Our Lady's mission is one of peace and love. She has come to earth to reeducate us and to help us convert and recenter our lives back to God. Our Lady's role has always been one of guiding people to Her Son, Jesus. What a fantastic opportunity we have before us! It is important that we understand both the magnitude and the urgency of Our Lady's call to conversion, and that we respond with all our hearts.

Our Lady continues to give messages to six people from the village of Medjugorje : Ivan, Jakov, Marija, Mirjana, Vicka, and Ivanka. These six people (referred to as "visionaries") have had apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary since June 24, 1981 . In addition to these messages, Our Lady is to give each of the six visionaries a total of ten "secrets" or happenings that will occur on earth in the near future. Some of the secrets pertain to the whole world while others concern the visionaries themselves or their local village. Only one of the secrets so far has been revealed by the visionaries. Our Lady has promised to leave a supernatural, indestructable, and visible sign on the mountain where she first appeared. Our Lady said: "This sign will be given for the atheists. You faithful already have signs and you have become the sign for the atheists. You faithful must not wait for the sign before you convert; convert soon. This time is a time of grace for you. You can never thank God enough for His grace. The time is for deepening your faith and for your conversion. When the sign comes, it will be too late for many."

When each of the six visionaries has received all ten "secrets", Our Lady will stop appearing to them on a daily basis. Currently, Marija, Vicka, and Ivan have received nine secrets, and Our Lady still appears to them every day, wherever they are, at 5:40pm during daylight savings time, and 6:40pm the rest of the year. Mirjana, Jakov, and Ivanka have received all ten secrets, and Our Lady appears to them once per year, and will do so for the rest of their lives. For Ivanka who received her 10th secret on May 7, 1985 it is on the anniversary of the apparitions, June 25 each year. For Jakov who received his 10th secret on September 12, 1998 , it is on Christmas day each year. And for Mirjana who received her 10th secret on Christmas 1982, it is on her birthday, March 18 each year. Our Lady has also been appearing to Mirjana on the 2nd of each month since August 2, 1987 for the express purpose of praying for all unbelievers. Mirjana tells us that it is very important that all of us pray for the unbelievers in the world, who are defined as those who do not yet know God's love. Sometimes these appearances on the 2nd of each month are in apparitional form, and sometimes as locutions. No one knows when Our Lady will give the tenth secret to Marija, Ivan, and Vicka.

Once Our Lady stops appearing there will be three warnings given to the world. Mirjana will witness the warnings and they will ocurr on the earth. Ten days before each of the warnings, she will advise the priest she chose for this task (Father Petar Ljubicic), who will then fast and pray with Mirjana for seven days. Then, three days before the warning is to take place, Fr. Petar will announce to the world what, where, and when the warning is to take place. Fr. Petar has no choice, and must reveal each warning. Mirjana's testimony will be a confirmation of the validity of the apparitions and an incentive for the conversion of the world. After the first warning, the others will follow within a rather brief period of time. So it is that people will have time for conversion. After the three warnings, the permanent visible sign will be left on the mountain where Our Lady first appeared in Medjugorje. Those who are still alive will have little time for conversion. For that reason, the Blessed Virgin calls for urgent conversion and reconciliation. The permanent sign will lead to many healings and conversions before the messages become reality.

The ninth and tenth secrets are grave matters. They are a chastisement for the sins of the world. The punishment is inevitable because we can not expect the conversion of the entire world. The chastisement can be lessened by prayers and penance, but it can not be suppressed entirely. An evil which threatened the world according to the seventh secret, had been eliminated through prayer and fasting. For that reason the Blessed Virgin continues to ask for prayer and fasting. The invitation to prayer and penance is destined to ward off evil and war and above all to save souls. Our Lady says: "You have forgotten that with prayer and fasting you can ward off wars, suspend natural laws."