The 16th Ibero-American Congress of the Queen of Peace in the Dominican Republic concluded with a Holy Mass celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio

The 16th Ibero-American Congress, which was held in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, was concluded.

On the first day, Fr. Danko Perutina, President of the Board of the Mir Medjugorje Information Center, met with representatives of the countries that make up the Mir Medjugorje Center for the Spanish-speaking community, and then the opening ceremony was led by Oriol Vives and L. Miguel Onieva, President and Vice President of the Mir Medjugorje Center for the Spanish-speaking community.

The opening ceremony included a traditional parade with flags and a short presentation, and when it was Venezuela's turn, Fr. Inocencio Llamas, spiritual director of the Mir Medjugorje Center for the Spanish-speaking community, called on them to remain united.

During the Congress, a book published by the Mir Medjugorje Information Center, "Queen of Peace - A Note on the Spiritual Experience Related to Medjugorje", was presented, catechesis was held, prayers were offered, Holy Masses were celebrated, and a message was sent to the participants by the parish priest of Medjugorje, Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić. On the last day of the Congress, the Holy Mass was presided over by Archbishop Piergiorgio Bertoldi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic.

He conveyed to those present the paternal message of Pope Leo XIV, and emphasized the evangelizing mission of this Congress, and interpreting the Gospel passage, Archbishop Bertoldi called on us not to be satisfied with the minimum.

"The Lord asks us to go a step further, to love beyond measure, to always be consistent with our way of life," said the Nuncio, emphasizing that this radical commitment is not an impossible burden, but a logical consequence of the realization that God loves us.

"Mary, Queen of Peace, was the silent center of this communion. Under her protection, the brotherhood was strengthened and missionary fervor was renewed. The Congress is ending, but the mission continues. What was experienced here does not remain just a memory, but becomes a mandate: to walk hand in hand with Mary, to lead many to the living experience of Christ's love'', are the words of the organizers of this Congress, which will be held next year, and preparations are already beginning.

Finally, the president of the Board of the Information Center Mir Medjugorje, Fr. Danko Perutina, announced that applications for hosting the XVII Ibero-American Congress have already been submitted by Bolivia and El Salvador, and that a proposal has also been received to hold it in Medjugorje, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady, which will be celebrated in June of this year.