Travel Guide Meðugorje

Međugorje/Међугорје (pronounced "medjougorié") has around 2,500 inhabitants, 99% of whom are Bosnian-Croats. The village belongs to the municipality of Čitluk (population 19,000), within the Herzegovina-Neretva canton. It lies 12 km northeast of Ljubuški, 15 km northwest of Čapljina and 26 km southwest of Mostar. Bus connections with Croatia.Since 1981, this Catholic village has lived for the Virgin Mary and her repeated apparitions. Here, pilgrims from all over the world pour in. Everything is organized for them: large open-air Masses, a small Golgotha to climb under the heat, international-standard hotels, souvenir stores and bus parks. Most of the 2.2 million pilgrims passing through Međugorje every year come in groups. A little bewildered, they arrive via Mostar airport (it too operates only for them) or the port of Dubrovnik, after an overnight Italian ferry. Many imagine themselves in Croatia. It's true that here, you can pay in kuna, and the locals do nothing to dispel any doubts. Because since the first "appearances" in 1981, Međugorje has become a little Mecca with well-honed marketing, but also a symbol for those calling for an attachment to Croatia. In short, if you dream of feeling Mary's heart beating at the same time as your own, there are plenty of places on earth where the spirit is less mercantile and less nationalistic than here.