Bosnia Investigates Vandalism at Popular Catholic Pilgrimage Site

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Authorities in Bosnia are investigating the vandalism of a statue of the Virgin Mary and a shrine damaged by fire overnight in a southern village, a popular destination for Catholic pilgrims.

Two years ago, the Vatican allowed Catholics to make pilgrimages to Medjugorje, where some children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary. This approval validated a controversial aspect of Roman Catholic practice in recent years.

Local media images showed the statue of Our Lady with her face and hands painted black. An inscription in English on the pedestal read, “Devil in a skirt.”

In 1981, six children and adolescents reported seeing the Virgin on a hill in Medjugorje, located in the wine-producing region of southern Bosnia. Some of the original “visionaries” maintain that these visions have occurred regularly since then, even daily, with messages from Mary.

Nearby, a banner was placed on a fence with the names of the visionaries and a message in Polish stating, “They are frauds, I have proof.”

The Vatican’s doctrinal office did not confirm the supposed appearances in Medjugorje as authentic or supernatural. They noted concerns about contradictions received in messages over the years according to the alleged visionaries.

However, following new Vatican guidelines, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith determined that the positive “spiritual fruits” from the Medjugorje experience justified allowing organized pilgrimages and public acts of devotion. The 2024 decision overruled years of doubt by previous diocesan bishops of the region and Vatican experts regarding the validity of the apparitions.

This decision also overlooked concerns about economic interests that have turned Medjugorje into a flourishing religious tourism destination.

This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the assistance of a generative artificial intelligence tool.