Authorities in Bosnia launched an investigation following damage to a shrine at Medjugorje, a pilgrimage destination in the wine-producing region of southern Bosnia. The Virgin Mary statue at the site had its face and hands painted black, with an inscription in English on the pedestal reading “Devil in a skirt.” A banner was also found nearby bearing the names of reported seers and a message in Polish stating they are fraudsters.
Medjugorje gained prominence beginning in 1981, when six children and teenagers reported seeing visions of the Madonna on a hill in the village. Some of the original visionaries have since claimed the experiences have continued regularly, even daily, and that they receive messages from Mary through these visions.
The site became one of the most debated locations within Roman Catholic practice in recent decades. The Vatican’s doctrine office did not declare the reported apparitions authentic or of supernatural origin and raised questions regarding contradictions in messages that the alleged visionaries reported receiving over time.
However, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith determined that the positive “spiritual fruits” attributed to Medjugorje justified permitting the faithful to organize pilgrimages and conduct public acts of devotion at the location. This determination, made two years ago, reversed previous reservations held by diocesan bishops and Vatican specialists. The decision proceeded despite concerns about the economic development that has transformed Medjugorje into a substantial destination for religious tourism.
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