date: 26.07.2014.
The Feast of St. James, the patron saint of Medjugorje parish was solemnly celebrated on Friday, July 25, 2014. Holy Masses in Croatian language were celebrated in the parish church at 7 and 8 a.m. and at 7 p.m., while the main Holy Mass was celebrated in the Garden, close to the church of St. James at 11 a.m. The procession began at 10.45 a.m. with the statue of St. James that male members of the Franciscan Youth carried along with the singing of litanies of All Saints. Fr. Mario Ostojic was the main celebrant and celebration was even more beautiful thanks to the singing of the choir of “The Queen of Peace”, conducted by Sr. Irena Azinovic and mandolin orchestra Surmanci, led by prof. Davor Markota. Fr. Marinko Sakota, parish priest of Medjugorje parish, greeted everyone at the end and invited them to stay for the traditional dances and music performed at the end of the Holy Mass. Fr. Mario in his homily said: “Medjugorje is a unique parish in the whole world, the parish where the Lord touched many hearts. St. James is the patron saint of pilgrims and of our parish that became the favourite pilgrimage destination and we are all invited to serve to pilgrims. We are invited to recognise their desire for Christ; they are the witnesses of the immense need for God. Let us pray that serving in humility may become our guideline in the life”, said Fr. Mario, who celebrated his first Holy Mass lust summer and is serving in the parish of Siroki Brijeg at the moment. Parish of Medjugorje was in the last few days intensively preparing for the Feast of St. James, both through the prayer and cultural – entertainment events. Parishioners were also included in the prayer life with prayer of Rosary and liturgical readings that they took on daily basis. Every part of the parish was represented on various days: Miletina, Surmanci, Vionica, Medjugorje, Bijakovici as well as members of the Franciscan Youth and the Third Order of St. Francis. Ten more Holy Masses in other languages were celebrated on that days and the Information Office registered groups from Italy, Austria, France, Ireland, the United States, Israel, Slovakia, Spain, Hungary, China, Ukraine, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The parish of Medjugorje was founded in 1892 and immediately places under the heavenly protection of St. James. That is quite interesting since that saint is the patron saint of pilgrims at the same time. This parish lived ordinary life of most parishes in Herzegovina until June 1981, when both Medjugorje and the church of St. James became the central point of gathering of millions of pilgrims from all over the world.
