date: 02.08.2013.
Medjugorje is all about youth in these days since this is the week when the 24th International Youth Festival is held with theme: “Faith working through love.” The official beginning of the Festival was on Thursday, August 1 at the White Dome. Rosary was led by Fr. Antonio Sakota and Holy Mass at 7 p.m. was celebrated by Provincial of Herzegovina Franciscan Province, Dr. Fr. Miljenko Sakota along with 470 priests who concelebrated at Holy Mass. At the beginning of this Holy Mass, young people from Medjugorje greeted all young people from all over the world, and then every country had opportunity for short introduction. Young people from 60 countries came to participate. Fr. Marinko Sakota, parish priest from Medjugorje, greeted all who came to Medjugorje and said: “Dear youth, welcome to Medjugorje, welcome to Mother who loves you unconditionally. Open your hearts to Jesus in prayer on Cross Mountain and Apparition Hill, as the flower opens to the sun in prayer of Rosary. Feed yourselves in the Holy Eucharist, sunbath your souls at the sun of life in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Heal your hearts; deliver yourselves from slavery in confessionals.” Fr. Miljenko said in his homily how every person brought his bag of life that more or less suppresses their young lives: “There is so much hope in that bag, but also many bitter tears and wounds, betrayals and disappointments in love or in those who told you that they loved you and then turned their back to you. I am saying this to you because you have chosen to bring that here to Medjugorje, to our Heavenly Mother. You have brought that here as faithful, with your personal responsibility before life. You have come because you honour Blessed Virgin Mary and you respect Her salvation plan and trust in Her intercession. You could have brought that bag somewhere else, but you came to Medjugorje, to Gospa’s school and that school teaches in the simple way, it says to all: “Pray, invoke the name of Christ and do not be afraid!” Several dozens of thousands of young people are participating in this Festival that will finish on August 6, 2013 with Holy Mass on Cross Mountain at 5 a.m. The programme is broadcasted live by Radio Mir Medjugorje, as well as many other radio stations, Internet portals and TV stations. Fr. Danko Perutina is leading this Festival that is marked with music, prayer, lectures and testimonies and the International Choir and Orchestra are making all of this even more special. This International Youth Festival is simultaneously translated in seventeen languages. (photos)
