Medjugorje, a year ago the Vatican gave its green light: the story in a book
Riccardo Caniato's book retraces the case with a series of testimoniesPer restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
It was September 19, 2024, a year ago, when Medjugorje received the "nihil obstat," the "nihil obstat," from the Vatican. This decision, according to the new regulations on apparitions, authorizes and promotes pilgrimages and worship, while not providing a definitive statement on the alleged Marian apparitions.
A story that for decades has attracted thousands of visitors to the shrine in Bosnia and Herzegovina every year and is now the focus of the book "Medjugorje: An Investigation. My One-Way Way to Paradise," by Riccardo Caniato, published by Il Timone. The book also focuses specifically on the decision of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the green light from Pope Francis.
The Church's long process of discernment culminated with the catechesis on the Medjugorje messages, delivered live from the Vatican by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, on that day in September 2024. "It was a liberating pronouncement because it leaves the faithful free to believe in the mystical experience they experience in Medjugorje ," the book's author emphasizes, "and now the faithful around the world feel in full harmony with the Pope and the heart of the Church. They have never stopped, but this judgment was a renewed and great impetus for the pilgrims who flocked to Medjugorje again this year, especially for the 44th anniversary of the events on June 25th and for the Youth Festival in early August. Tens of thousands of young people participated on this occasion."
The book is divided into several parts that unite the story and message of the Queen of Peace, as Our Lady is called in this sanctuary. It then gives voice to numerous testimonies , starting with those of the visionaries and blending them with those of the men and women Caniato has met over the decades during his work as a journalist. "And I too," the book's author confides, "left for Medjugorje as a journalist but returned as a witness."
Caniato was recently awarded the title of "new member" by the Pontifical International Marian Academy (PAMI) for his Marian studies and research. The diploma was presented by the president of the Pontifical Academy, Father Stefano Cecchin.
HISTORY – The cult of Medjugorje began in June 1981 , when six local boys claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary appear on a rocky hill. According to their account, the "Gospa"—as she is known locally—broadcast messages of peace, prayer, fasting, and conversion. The apparitions, initially greeted with skepticism, gradually attracted millions of pilgrims from around the world, transforming the small village into one of the most visited places of Marian worship.
Religious authorities have maintained a cautious stance for years. Only recently has the Vatican authorized official pilgrimages, though without pronouncing the supernatural authenticity of the apparitions. Medjugorje remains an active spiritual center today, where popular faith, prayer, and testimonies intertwine with hope and devotion, still sparking debate among believers, scholars, and the Church.
(Unioneonline/vl)