Medjugorje Hoax or Truth? | Bosnia and Herzegovina Travel Guide

Some posts contain compensated links. Please read this disclaimer
for more info.

A former poor wine-making town in rural Herzegovina, Medjugorje has become a major Catholic pilgrimage destination since, in 1981, the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to six local children. Medjugorje hoax or truth? You decide.

Nowadays, the town, located just southwest of Mostar and near the border with Croatia, is a bustling tourist hotspot. And even though the Catholic Church hasn’t officially acknowledged the legitimacy of the apparition, it continues to be a popular pilgrim’s destination. Pope Francis announced in February of 2017 that he plans to send a Bishop to the Medjugorje shrine to gain “deeper knowledge” of the pastoral needs of millions of Catholics drawn there by reports of apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

The local Roman Catholic parish encompasses five towns and villages. Besides Medjugorje, there is Vionica, Miletina, Bijakovići and Šurmanci.