REMEMBERING MEDJUGORJE

By RAY WADDLE

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of something extraordinary, and Nashvillians are taking note.

In June 1981, reports started coming from the Yugoslavian village of Medjugorje (“Medge-yu-goria”) that the Virgin Mary was appearing miraculously every afternoon to five teens and a 10-year-old boy. Day after day, for several minutes at a time, the six together fell into an open-eyed trance, signifying Mary’s visit.

She was described as a young woman bathed in light. Sometimes she smiled, sometimes wept, but her message never wavered: God exists, turn to Jesus, find peace. Before it’s too late.

These kids, Bosnian Catholics in communist Yugoslavia, could scarcely believe Mary would single them out. But they became loyal visionaries who publicly announced her daily messages.

The news caused upheaval. Thousands flocked there. The communist police weren’t pleased: it looked like anti-government protests. The bishop wasn’t pleased: it looked like youngsters being manipulated by Franciscan priests, his historic rivals in the region.

But batteries of tests on the young seers ruled out hallucination or fraud.

By now, the six are adults with families and jobs. They still claim regular visitations, making Medjugorje the longest-running apparition ever. Thirty million people (the unverifiable estimate) have visited. The Vatican keenly follows developments but hasn’t ruled on their authenticity.

A Mass will honor the anniversary tomorrow (JUNE 25) at Sisters of Mercy Convent, 2629 Pennington Bend Road, at 3:45 p.m., preceded by rosary prayer and confessions at 3 p.m.

“I think she’s still with us, 25 years later, to encourage us to pray for peace in the world and in our hearts,” says Nashvillian Eugene Mulloy, a visitor to Medjugorje seven times. He’s with the Tennessee Center for Peace, the Mass’ sponsor. (There’s also Mass every third Thursday of the month at 6:45 p.m., St. Ann’s Catholic Church.)

I visited Medjugorje in 1987, reporting on 50 Nashville pilgrims who journeyed there for their own miracles of faith, discipleship and healing. I watched the seers during their peaceful, uninterruptible, 20-minute trance. I saw them try to conduct normal lives of school work and chores among throngs who viewed them as saints and celebrities.

And weird things occurred. I witnessed a pilgrim group staring into the sun one afternoon, claiming to see Jesus in the blinding sky. Implored to join, I saw only the burning sun, and looked away, alarmed by the scene.

I can’t discredit Mary’s message. Medjugorje’s early heady days of pilgrims scanning the sky for quick miracles have yielded to a longer-haul perspective and maturity among believers. Much has happened since, not least the hideous Balkan war, which ignited in 1991 and brought slaughter to Bosnia. It’s as if the visionaries, or Mary, clairvoyantly predicted it, warned against it.

Needless to say, world suffering continues: Rwanda, Oklahoma City, 9/11, Iraq, Darfur.

Six unlikely kids pleading for heavenly peace ... They were right all along.