The Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, Petar Palic, issued a special decree on the spiritual phenomena of Medjugorje on Thursday after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the approval of Pope Francis, authorised the veneration of Medjugorje.

The authorisation of public worship means that “while this does not imply a declaration of the supernatural character of the phenomenon in question (cf. Norms, art. 22, §2) and recalling that the faithful are not obliged to believe in it, the nihil obstat (issued by the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno in agreement with the Holy See, ed.) indicates that the faithful can receive a positive encouragement for their Christian life through this spiritual proposal and it authorises public acts of devotion,” the Vatican reported on its website.

“The faithful are not obliged to believe in the apparitions of Medjugorje”

Bishop Palic says in his conclusions that the faithful are authorised to follow Marian devotion in a “prudent” manner.

The faithful are not obliged to believe in the apparitions of Medjugorje, but there is nothing to prevent them from showing these devotions, including pilgrimages to the shrine, Palic said.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Croat leader Dragan Covic, welcomed the Holy See’s statement.

For us Catholics in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for Catholics worldwide, Medjugorje continues to be a place of peace and divine closeness where we can deepen our faith, Covic said.

Most party MP: This is the good news

Croatian MP Marin Miletic said that the news from the Vatican was very good.

Medjugorje, a place where many people receive the sacrament of penance, has been given the green light by the Vatican and there are no obstacles to it becoming a place of pilgrimage for pilgrims, said Miletic, an MP from the right-wing conservative Most party.

The Medjugorje phenomenon is linked to the claims of six visionaries that Mary has been appearing to them in Medjugorje since 1981 and sending them messages of peace, which is why she is also called the Queen of Peace.

The Holy See has appointed a special commission, which has presented its report on the Medjugorje phenomenon to Pope Francis. In the meantime, a special papal envoy has been appointed for this parish.

Since the beginning of this phenomenon, 50 million pilgrims have visited Medjugorje.