date: 15.04.2009.
Between Palm Sunday and Easter, pilgrims from all over the world gathered together in Medjugorje: from Croatia to North America, from Lebanon and Palestine (the city of Nazareth) to Denmark, Belgium and Luxemburg, from Korea to La Martinique, Guadeloupe and La Reunion, from Austria, Germany and Switzerland to Malta, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, from Romania and Hungary to Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, from Ireland and England to Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. (foto)
Holy Thursday
Different language groups celebrated the liturgy of Holy Thursday in the afternoon. In the parish church, Holy Mass was at 6 PM, and was presided by Fr. Miljenko Šteko. After Mass, the Blessed Sacrament was removed next to the church, where friars remained in silent prayer until midnight. Many faithful remained in silent prayer in the church.
Good Friday
On Good Friday in the morning, the pilgrims were praying the way of the Cross on Cross Mountain according to language groups. At 11 AM, the Croatian language group was led by the friars serving in Medjugorje. Numerous pilgrims climbed Cross mountain individually from early in the morning until late in the evening. The Good Friday liturgy in the parish church was at 6 PM and was presided by Fr. Vjekoslav Milićević.
Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
Different language groups celebrated the Liturgy of the Word in the afternoon, and at 9 PM they joined the parishioners for the Easter Vigil, which was presided by Fr. Svetozar Kraljević. The great Easter Sequence was sung by Fr. Vjekoslav Milićević. The Easter Vigil lasted until 11 PM.
Again this year, because of the great number of pilgrims and the lack of space in the Parish Church, all the liturgical events were transmitted via a large screen, so that the pilgrims could follow them both in the new hall and in front of the church.
Throughout all of Holy Week, local priests, together with many foreign priests, spent a great part of their day in the confessionals. The Friars serving in Medjugorje paid special attention to the sick and the old parishioners, and heard their confessions in their own homes.
