People from Eastern and Western Europe, the United States, Korea, Lebanon etc... prayed together as a great family. Some were sleeping in hotels, others in tents.
 
 
 

According to local tradition people walked many miles to worship in Medjugorje.
This gentleman traveled with a statue of Our Lady on his shoulders.
 
 

Medjugorje Babas (Grand-mothers) pray in front of backpack statue.
 

The biggest crowds since the end of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
 
 
 

The Mass on the 24th of June was celebrated by Father Miron
Sikiric, a Franciscan of Sarajevo, together with 210 priests from all parts of the world.
He made a moving plea to reconciliation and
pardon among ethnic groups who were involved in the war .
He begged the people of the former Yugoslavia to renounce hatred.
His words rang true and authentic. Some people in the crowd were in tears...
 
 
 

The next day, on the 25th, Mass was celebrated by Father
Toni Vuckovic, a Franciscan from Split in Croatia, with 273 priest from 20 different nationalities. The Gospel was read in many languages, including Croatian,
Slovenian, Ukrainian, Slovak,
 Polish, Rumanian, Hungarian, Italian, French, English,
 Arabic, Portuguese etc...
Unfortunately Father Jozo was unable to celebrate that day as usual but he was very active
meeting with thousands of pilgrims in his Parish of Siroki Brijeg.
 
 
 

Priests were busy confessing thousands of pilgrims, like this lady from Korea in her traditional dress.
 
 

The mass media filming and taking pictures.
The Holy Mass of the Anniversary was on live on Croatian TV.
 
 
 

Our Lady appeared to Vicka, Marija and Ivan as she does every day since June 1981.
Ivanka also saw the Virgin Mary for her yearly Apparition.
Ivan had a special Apparition at 10.P.M. on June 25th, 2001 surrounded by thousands of pilgrims on Apparition Hill.
Our Lady came with three Angels. She was vested in a golden dress. As she appeared she said as usual:
"Praise be Jesus, my dear children!"
She was "happy and joyful in a special way."
Then she said to Ivan that she asks from us to live the
message that was given to Marija earlier the same day.
June 25th message