New Year's Eve

date: 04.01.2008.

Several thousand pilgrims from all over the world, most of them young, visited Medjugorje in order to enter with prayer into the New Year of 2008. The Prayer Programme began at 10.00pm with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which was jointly led by Fr. Vjekoslav Milićević and Fr. Miljenko Šteko. The meditations were translated into English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Polish, Slovak, Czech, Romanian, Korean, Arabic and Chinese. Holy Mass, presided over by Fr. Svetozar Kraljević, and concelebrated by about 100 priests, began at midnight and finished about 1.30am. A synopsis of the homily was translated into English, French, German, and Italian.

This New Year’s vigil was accompanied musically by an international choir and orchestra assembled for this special occasion, under the direction of Prof. Martin Pero Boras.

All of the area around the church itself, and around the outside altar, was crowded to capacity, and the entire programme was transmitted on a large screen both in the new hall and in the tent. Radio MIR Medjugorje broadcast the entire Night Prayer Programme live from St. James’ church in Medjugorje.

After Mass, the young people lingered a long time singing and dancing in front of the church.