The Spirit of Medjugorje

"Dear children! In this time of the grace of expectation, I desire to call you to prayer for Advent to be prayer of the family. In a special way, little children whom I tenderly embrace, I encourage you to prayer for peace in the world; for peace to prevail over peacelessness and hatred. Thank you for having responded to my call. (With Ecclesiastical approval)"

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"She Said We Should Pray for Peace"

     The following is excerpted with permission from the book, Ten Secrets: The Hidden Prophecies of Medjugorje and the Path to Peace by Dr. Thomas Petrisko. Parts of the interview below regarding questions about the Secrets were omitted because Jacov said repeatedly that he did not want to talk about it. Jacov Colo [also spelled Jakov] is extremely reserved about the Secrets. When asked if the world should convert now, however, he doesn't hesitate. "That is why Mary is here." She has come, he then offers without prompting, to convert and reconcile, the whole world. Will such an unfathomable transformation of humanity happen? "Yes" he calmly answers.
     Since June 25, 1981, Jacov Colo - who turned ten years old just three weeks before - has been receiving apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Being the youngest of the six visionaries, the early photographs of him in ecstasy were fascinating. The sight of a child, totally consumed in mystical wonder, was not something one sees every day.
     But in contrast to such a blessing at that young age, comes the fact his mother died just two years later, and his father was nowhere to be found to raise him.
     From the beginning, Jacov has gone out of his way to avoid publicity. He does not desire attention and never will. To his credit, he shunned the role of the quasi-celebrity that the visions tried to cast upon him in the early years. And he didn't relish speaking much back then. Although he was the youngest of the six by far, he clearly identified his calling: "My role is not as a prophet. I am a witness to the messages the Blessed Mother is bringing to the whole world here at Medjugorje."
     Consequently, there is little of substance on record from him during the early years of the apparitions, especially with regards to the Secrets, which he almost totally refused to speak about… In the early 90s - around the time of the start of the war in the former Yugoslavia - I presented Jacov with a list of questions in an interview that took place in Medjugorje. The following is an excerpt of that dialogue. It has not been published before:

Question: What does Mary ask of the world today that is different from the beginning of the apparitions?
Jacov: During these twelve years, she is always calling us to pray. But she especially calls us to pray for peace.
Question: It has been written that when the first secret of Medjugorje is revealed, Satan's powers will be broken. Is this true? What is going to happen?
Jacov: I don't want to talk about the Secrets.
Question: Is the world making progress in its conversion?
Jacov: Our Lady never said anything about that. But she is very happy if people come here to pray.
Question: Has Our Lady ever wept tears? Has she ever wept tears of blood?
Jacov: I have seen Our Lady weeping. But never tears of blood.
Question: Tell us about the Great Sign.
Jacov: Our Lady promised us that she will leave a Great Sign on the Hill of Apparitions and we know when it will be.
Question: Tell us about God's peace.
Jacov: Our Lady invites us all the time to peace. This is the reason for her coming here. That's why she came here - for peace. First, she calls us to peace in our hearts. And, if we have peace in our hearts, we can start to pray and to love everybody. We can do anything!
Question: Has Mary spoken to you of the Fatima message, the consecration of Russia and the era of peace that is promised the world?
Jacov: Never!
Question: Many say the Church and the Pope must suffer much. Has Mary spoken of this to you?
Jacov: There is no message to me especially for this. One time, she gave me a message for priests.
Question: Jacov, the whole world has sunken into a deep darkness, and Mary is said to be concerned about the whole world as much as the war that is taking place here. What does all this mean to us? What should we do?
Jacov: When Our Lady came twelve years ago, right at the beginning of the apparitions, she said we should pray for peace, and that her messages are not only messages for Medjugorje, they are messages for the whole world.
Question: Is there anything special you would like to tell Americans?
Jacov: I would just like to call all people to pray. Our Lady calls us for these twelve years to pray, especially now, for peace in our country. And, of course, for all the world.

Jacov in the 1990s

Jacov's Message on December 25, 2024

     At the last daily apparition to Jacov Colo on September 12, 1998, Our Lady told him that henceforth he would have one apparition a year, every December 25, on Christmas Day. This is also how it was this year. The apparition began at 2:45 p.m. and lasted 8 minutes. Our Lady came with little Jesus in Her arms. Through Jacov, Our Lady gave the following message:
"Today, on this day of grace, in a special way I am calling you not to live a life striving for earthly goals and not to seek peace and joy in earthly things, because in this way darkness takes over your life and you do not see the meaning of your life. Little children, open the doors of your hearts to Jesus, permit Him to take over your entire life so that you may begin to live in God's love and mercy. My children, only with Jesus in your hearts will you come to know the true goal of your life and long for eternal salvation. I am blessing you with my motherly blessing."