The Landscape of Medjugorje
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Mt Krizevac (Cross Mountain) | Apparition Hill (Podbrdo)
| Mt Krizevac Cross | Mt Krizevac Cross | Crowd on Krizevac | Crowd on Krizevac |
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| Medjugorje | Marija's Cross | Apparition Hill | The Blue Cross |
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Cross Mountain
The Cross of Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain) is the most significant, and dominant feature in the landscape of Medjugorje. It gives us a clue as to why Our Lady chose this village and region for the manifestation of Her love and concern for her children of the earth. Overlooking the church of Saint James, and visible for miles and miles around the valley below, this Cross speaks powerfully of the strong message of penance and atonement which Our Lady has brought to the world. It does so, not only by reminding us of the suffering of Christ, but also, in a very special way, through the story of its construction.
The fifteen ton concrete Cross was constructed by the people of the area in 1933 in thanksgiving for the cessation of crop damaging hail storms, and to commemorate the nineteenth centenary of the Redemption. Their spirit of penance, and the understanding of its importance, were shown by the simple fact that all the material which went into its construction, was carried up the 1770 foot mountain by hand. The cross was so important to the people that they changed the name of it from Sipovac to Krizevac (Kriz is the Croatian word for Cross). It became the custom, even prior to the apparitions, to celebrate Mass there each year on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14). On every Friday, people would climb the mountain to pray the Stations of the Cross which were led by the parish priest. Clearly, the little village of Medjugorje was filled with the faith and love of God even before the apparitions began.
Apparition Hill
The site of Podbrdo is always moving to visit. This rocky slope, overgrown with small bushes and large thorns, is the site of Our Lady's first apparition in Medjugorje. A footpath leads up from the village of Bijakovici to the place of the apparition itself, the path now widened just a bit by the millions of pilgrims who have climbed this hill during the past 14 years.
It is awsome to realize that the visionaries ran up this hill over the rocks and thorns barefooted, not even following the path. Today you will see pilgrims slowly ascending or descending with bare feet. This is done often as penance or perhaps in thanksgiving for an intention.
About halfway to the main apparition site, just above a place called Lovetina, a group of pilgrims has erected a large wooden cross marking the spot of a special apparition to visionary Marija on June 26, 1981. Something, she recalls, threw her off the path that evening as she ran down ahead of the others after their group apparition. Our Lady appeared again suddenly with a great cross behind her, Her face sad, pleading "Peace, peace and only peace. Peace must rule between God and man, and among men!".
Pilgrims reaching the main apparition site discover a large aluminum Cross with rocks piled high around it representing intentions of the pilgrims who placed them there. Many smaller crosses are pushed into crevices, laden with holy pictures, family photos, and scraps of paper from pilgrims.
Another site you don't want to miss is "The Blue Cross". It is hidden from the road, not far from the base of Podbrdo. This site is marked with a distinct Blue Cross and marks the spot where the visionaries met in secret for their apparitions during the communist persecution of the early days.
