Advent in Medjugorje

date: 17.12.2013.

This time of Advent, time of expecting Chrismtas is always filled with more intensive preparation of parishioners and pilgrims for celebration of the birth of our Saviour. Early Holy Masses are celebrated at 6 a.m. in the parish church of St. James every day except on Sundays. This is the time of Novena to the Birth of Jesus when Rosary is prayed on Apparition Hill every day at 2 p.m. until December23, 2013. The members of Cenacolo community are setting the scene of Betlehem outside the church of St. James which is the part of setting for the live nativity scene that will take place in Christmas days. A group of 30 pilgrims began their Advent with a week of fasting, prayer and silence in the House of Peace here in Medjugorje. Vlatka Vukoja from Switzerland and Ruza Andric from Tomislavgrad were among them and they were our guests at the radio station Mir Medjugorje.  This is Vlatka’s first time to be at such retreat and it is fourth time for Ruza. “Prayer at Cross Mountain as well as the prayer before the blessed Sacrament were something really special. We received a new enlightenment about renunciation and how through that we can be directed to something new. We learned here that it is important for others to recognise that we were at this retreat once we return home.”