The forty-second anniversary of the apparitions of Medjugorje, which began on June 24, 1981, is approaching.
But have you ever heard of the ten secrets of Medjugorje?
Over the years, the Madonna gave the visionaries Vicka Ivankovic, Marija Pavlovic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic, Jakov Colo, and Mirjana Dragicevic secrets that would reveal the future of humanity.
Are the ten secrets part of the message of Medjugorje?
Since the beginning of the apparitions, the ten secrets have been part of the message of Medjugorje, and over these years the Queen of Peace has been preparing humanity to face this trial.
Three visionaries (Ivan, Vicka, and Marija) know nine secrets, while the other three visionaries (Ivanka, Mirjana, and Jakov) know them all. None of the visionaries knows the others’ secrets, and they do not talk about them among themselves. It is assumed, however, that the secrets are the same for everyone.
Mirjana was the first to receive all the secrets; the last was revealed to her by the Virgin at Christmas 1982. She was also given the task of revealing them to the world when the time comes.
How will the ten secrets be revealed?
Mirjana chose the Franciscan friar Father Petar Ljubicic to communicate the ten secrets to the world. When the time comes to reveal the first secret, Mirjana will give the friar a kind of “divine” parchment ten days beforehand. The priest will have the grace to read only the first secret and then, together with the visionary, will have to pray and fast for seven days. After these seven days, he will have to communicate the first secret to the world, announcing when and where it will happen, so that even those who are still unbelieving will understand that it is time to choose God and change their lives.
The secrets are written on a “divine” parchment
The ten secrets of Medjugorje are written on a parchment that came directly from the hands of the Madonna and is in Mirjana’s possession. The parchment can be read only by Mirjana, and it details not only the content but also the dates on which the events will occur.
The parchment was examined by a laboratory in Zagreb. Regarding the analysis of the parchment, the material used does not exist on Earth.
What do we know about the ten secrets?
The first two secrets concern Medjugorje. They contain warnings and an important admonition intended for the parishioners. The two warnings will have such resonance that they will serve as a call to all humanity.
The third secret is connected to an event that will prove the truth of all the secrets. There will be an extraordinary event on Apparition Hill, visible to the whole world, that will leave no doubt about Our Lady’s presence in Medjugorje and the prophecies concealed by the secrets. It will be «visible, indestructible, lasting, very beautiful, and clearly of divine origin». At that moment, humanity will divide into two distinct camps: the “apostles of love,” called to follow the Immaculate One in the fight against Satan, and those who have chosen to reject Christ.
The other seven secrets, the so-called “punishments,” are signs for the benefit of faith. They will not be God’s punishment of humanity, but a consequence of man’s own behavior, the result of sin and the free choices to follow the Evil One.
The seventh secret concerns a very serious event that deeply shook Mirjana, prompting her to ask Our Lady whether it could be mitigated. Only through prayer and penance was the visionary able to make this punishment somewhat less severe. Our Lady interceded for us with God.
How can we prepare for the revelation of the secrets?
The ten secrets should not lead us to fear, but should fuel the desire for daily conversion and lead us to believe and have faith in God. Our Lady awaits us and welcomes us in Medjugorje with love and peace: let us purify our hearts through prayer and the sacrament of Reconciliation, and make sure we are ready.
This is the time of watchful waiting, it is the time to convert, the time to commit ourselves to making our faith strong and tangible. So let us not be afraid, but commit ourselves day after day to nurturing our faith and prayer, observing the commandments and practicing virtue.
