Since our founding in 1985, 206 Tours has been blessed to bring thousands of pilgrims to Medjugorje. This humble town, where Our Lady has allegedly been appearing since 1981, continues to draw pilgrims from all over the world. With so many travelers visiting every year, St. James Church, the local parish in Medjugorje, has recently issued some updated guidelines to help create the best possible experience for all pilgrims. The full statement from Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić (Parish priest at St. James in Medjugorje) is as follows:

“On behalf of all the priests who serve in this parish, I would like to extend a sincere welcome to you, who come to Medjugorje as spiritual leaders of the group or as pilgrims.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your desire and readiness to visit this place of grace and prayer. May Almighty God, through the intercession of our heavenly Mother Queen of Peace, reward all the effort and effort that you endure by coming here.

In order to make your stay in our environment as pleasant and useful as possible, I would like to send you certain guidelines. I sincerely ask you to read them carefully and follow them:

1. Holy Masses are celebrated in the parish church, in the adoration chapel and in the John Paul II Hall, all in agreement with the Information Office and the nuns who take care of it in the sacristy. According to the Church decree, it is forbidden to celebrate St. Mass in boarding houses, private houses in which you are staying, on the hills or in chapels located in the area of the parish of Medjugorje. Masses can only be celebrated in those communities that have the permission of the Apostolic Visitor. For clarification or any information, you can contact the Information Office by phone/fax: +387 36 651 988 or e-mail: informacije@medjugorje.hr

2. Prayer gatherings in the parish area can be organized only with the permission of the parish priest.

3. Only priests who work in the parish have permission to meet and address pilgrims in the church premises. All others are obliged to ask the parish priest for approval.

4. No one has permission to “pray over other persons” either in the church or around the church premises.

5. If you are a priest, you are called to be a concelebrant at Vespers Mass (bring everything necessary: alb, stole, celebret…), and be – if you have confessional
jurisdiction – available to pilgrims for confession in your mother tongue or the language you speak.

6. Every priest who wishes to confess or concelebrate at Masses should have a valid celebret. With this celebrity, he should register at the Information Office where he will receive a registration with which he can confess and celebrate Mass. Priests who do not have a registration will not be admitted to the co-celebration of the Eucharist.

7. The leaders of pilgrimage groups arrange meetings with all the pilgrims at the Shrine Information Office.

8. It is forbidden to use a personal public address system in the church premises.

9. We ask the pilgrim groups to take a guide who is professionally trained in the leadership of pilgrimage groups in Medjugorje. The services of a guide can be requested at the Shrine Information Office.

10. We kindly ask the leaders of pilgrimage groups to announce the arrival of their group and the number of pilgrims at the Shrine Information Office, by phone/fax: +387 36 651 988 or e-mail: informacije@medjugorje.hr

11. Please do not organize any other program during the evening program in the sanctuary.

12. The area around the church, on Podbrdo and Križevac is a prayer area. Please respect them as such by being polite and wearing clothing (shoulders and knees must always be covered) that does not disturb others in their prayer and concentration. Please also keep it clean.

13. Do not light candles on Podbrdo or on Križevac. Candles may only be lit in a specially designated place on the west side of the church, near the wooden cross. Do not leave votive objects or images on Podbrdo or on Križevac.

14. Smoking is not allowed in the church and in the prayer area around it.

15. Aware of the greatness of God’s presence, and in order to protect the atmosphere of prayer and concentration, photography is not permitted during Holy Mass and adoration.

16. It is forbidden to collect any alms, except during Holy Mass. If you notice someone doing so at any other time, please inform the Shrine Information Office.

17. You can leave your Mass intentions, vows, or voluntary contributions for the maintenance of this sacred space at the Parish Office. Thank you!

With God’s blessing,
Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić, OFM, Parish Priest”

SOURCE: www.medjugorje-info.com

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