Medjugorje, what’s your story?

It’s not my usual Friday night it must be said, watching a middle-aged man talking to Our Lady in Croatian on a hill.

I’d like to say that my usual Friday evening is spent on the ale, maybe a gig or a house party, or all three.

I’d like to say that, although there was a time.

Now it’s a tinnie of Stella Artois and Graham Norton.

But, enough meandering, and back to Medge in Bosnia & Herzegovina as us pilgrims (I’m a day in and am acting like I know it all) like to call it.

I’m on a Marian Pilgrimages www.marian.ie, for want of a better word, pilgrimage, and if I can confess…

And it’s 5pm outside St James’s twin steeple church in any language if you’re interested. But yes, I’m all preyed out.

We’ve done joyful, sorrowful, God it’s pitiful how I think I’m fooling anyone by pretending I know the words.

There’s been a Mass in the morning, a talk from an Indian priest who had been held captive by ISIS in Yemen in the afternoon.

And prayers outside the Church and on the path up to the Blue Cross where the six visionaries parlayed with Our Lady 38 years ago.

The power had been down in the town back in 1981 due to an electrical storm so Top of the Pops wasn’t on.

I’m going straight to Hell by the way!

Yes, and when we get up to the Blue Cross, there are more prayers (some of this rosary is coming back to me now).

And there’s an Ave Maria or two on the way back to the hotel.

Where the charming and loquacious Anis has us saying Grace Before Meal.

I’m off for a lie down now, but will obviously get on my knees and say a wee prayer first.

Before heading on up that hill later.

Where Ivan the visionary will meet Mary, although the rotter, he won’t get her to take off her cloak of invisibility,

I’ll let you know what Our Lady says… but I’m not expecting too much revelatory.

My money is on her asking us to say the rosary a lot more!

And here’s some more thoughts on Medge… Bosnia & HerzegoJimmy