Our Lady of Medjugorje: how Our Lady of Peace is represented

We already talked about Our Lady of Medjugorje in other articles, who appeared to six seers in 1981; some of them claim they see her everyday. The first apparitions took place in the town of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, from which comes the name. Our Lady of Medjugorje is also called Our Lady of Peace, because the message she entrusted, and still today entrusts, to her seers is a message of Peace, a Peace that can be reached through a path that includes five passages, called the “five stones”:

1. the humble prayer (possibly the daily Rosary)
2. fasting on Wednesday and Friday, or, if not possible due to health problems, an offer to Mary on those days.
3. daily reading of the Bible.
4. Confession once a month.
5. Eucharist every day.

The story of the apparition is well known to everybody: on June 24th 1981, in the afternoon, Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičevi, at the time teen agers, were walking around the hill of Podbrdo, near Medjugorje, when they saw the image of a young and beautiful woman going towards them floating on a cloud. This was just the first of a series of apparitions that never ceased, and that went through some variations in place, details and frequency. The two girls went to call their friends, of the same age, and the mysterious lady appeared to them as well, this time holding a baby in her arms. Only in the first three years, Our Lady of Medjugorje appeared at least 1100 times to the kids.

The dynamics of those meetings repeat themselves, as does the greeting of the Virgin to the seers, smiling to them with endless sweetness: “Jesus Christ be praised”.

But what does this young and smiling Madonna look like? She seems flying, her feet hidden by a cloud, and her head with a halo of stars.

Statue of Our Lady in Tihajlin, near Medjugorje

Vicka (Vida) Ivanković, one of the most famous seers who was seventeen at the time of the apparitions, and who claims she sees Mary everyday since then, tells about a wonderful girl, about twenty years old, wearing a long dress and a light veil on her head; blue eyes, black and slightly wavy hair, oblong face, pink lips and cheekbones. She smiles with endless sweetness, and is so beautiful that no words can describe her. Her feet are covered by the dress and the cloud she floats on, while she has a crown on her head, symbol of triumph and regality, composed of twelve stars, as twelve were the tribes of Israel, the Apostles and the privileges of Virgin Mary:

1st PRIVILEGE: Mary Predestination.

2nd PRIVILEGE: The Immaculate conception of Mary.

3rd PRIVILEGE: The perfect compliance of Mary to God’s will.

4th PRIVILEGE: The eminent Sanctity of Mary.

5th PRIVILEGE: The Annunciation.

6th PRIVILEGE: The divine maternity of Mary.

7th PRIVILEGE: The perfect virginity of Mary.

8th PRIVILEGE: The heart martyrdom.

9th PRIVILEGE: The happiness of Mary for the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

10th PRIVILEGE: The Assumption to the sky of Mary.

11th PRIVILEGE: The regality of Mary.

12th PRIVILEGE: The meditation of Mary and the power of her intercession.

Vicka (Vida) Ivanković

Sometimes her dress is white, some others it’s blue, and others it’s golden. She is always surrounded by light, and with that light she calls the seers towards her, disclosing her location. And she’s always smiling, Our Lady of Medjugorje, beautiful, happy to meet her seers and friends and to be able to talk to them working as mediator between God and men as the sweetest and most attentive mother.

That is how Our Lady of Medjugorje is represented in the countless images depicting her: a beautiful girl with a sweet smile and a slightly sad look. In the statues of Our Lady of Medjugorje, for example, she always has long and wavy hair, covered by a veil. Sometimes the color of her hair changes, like the color of her eyes, but they are always sweet and looking down, towards those gathered to pray around her, hoping for a benevolent look, for her intercession, for a grace.

In the images of Our Lady of Medjugorje, artists try as they can to express the beauty of this young woman, a beauty that is undescribable, according to what seers say. This is why statues, prayer cards and paintings of Our Lady of Medjugorje instill a sense of peace and happiness to those looking at them. What is more comforting than turning your eyes towards the face of such a beautiful, sweet and lovable girl? A statue of Our Lady of Medjugorje in your home, a portrait hanged to the wall, just a small lithography or a sumptuous tapestry can clear up all the things nearby with their beauty, just like the Virgin seems radiating light, according to the seers words. Artisans in Medjugorje started creating small pictures using the typical red stones of that area, on which they apply gracious images of Mary. Using rocks and stones from Medjugorje, the artisans create heart-shaped images of Mary or other metal applications on stone for tables decoration.

Other beautiful items to keep in your home can be the images that represent Our Lady of Medjugorje as the Queen of Peace: they are hand-painted wooden statues, classy and delicate, that recall the description of the seers: under the image of the Virgin there is a golden writing saying ‘Regina pacis’, Queen of Peace.

Here are some of the statues and portraits described above:

Wall portrait made of hardwood, with Our Lady of Medjugorje lithography. Made in Italy. Buy on Holyart Wall tapestry with image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on landscape. Jacquard tapestry, hand-refined and entirely made in Italy. Buy on Holyart Picture made of stone from Medjugorje with image of Mary and child. This picture is made of Medjugorje red stone by local artisans. Buy on Holyart Heart-shaped image on stone with Our Lady of Medjugorje and child. Made by local artisans from Medjugorje. Buy on Holyart Image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on stone. Handmade ornament with Mary image and metal Medjugorje writing. Buy on Holyart Queen of Peace of Medjugorje in maple wood. Hand-painted statue, classy and delicate, created following the description of the seers with golden writing: Regina pacis', that is, Queen of Peace is the light of our time. Buy on Holyart

Of course, among all the iconographic interpretations of Jesus’ Mother, the one of Our Lady of Medjugorje is the most beautiful, most comforting for the eyes and the heart.