Pilgrims head to Medjugorje for Jubilee Year
In the small village of Medjugorje, Bosnia, six teenagers reported seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary on Mount Podbrdo in June 1981. The site, now called Apparition Hill, has drawn millions of pilgrims who believe Mary continues to appear there, offering messages of hope and conversion for peace in the world.
In the small village of Medjugorje, Bosnia, six teenagers reported seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary on Mount Podbrdo in June 1981. The site, now called Apparition Hill, has drawn millions of pilgrims who believe Mary continues to appear there, offering messages of hope and conversion for peace in the world.
Since 1982, an estimated 40 million people have traveled to Medjugorje. This November, a group from the Diocese of Charleston will join them.
Father D. Anthony Droze, pastor of the Church of the Nativity on James Island, will lead the pilgrimage. Parishioner Liz Higgins, who first visited in 1999, is organizing the group.
“At that time, I was trying to decide if I wanted to raise my children Catholic … I wanted to find out if it was real,” she said.
That first visit, she added, changed her life.
“My rosary turned gold, and I experienced great graces that were transformative in my faith,” Higgins said. “I have always wanted to go back.”
The parish began planning the trip in fall 2024, after the Vatican announced that pilgrims to Medjugorje could receive a plenary indulgence if they take part in the Jubilee rites and prayers. The decree is in effect through Jan. 6, 2026.
Pope Francis recognized Medjugorje as a holy site in 2018, and the following year dioceses and parishes were officially authorized to organize pilgrimages there.
The Charleston group is seeking additional participants. The cost is $3,469 per person, covering seven nights from Nov. 8-16.
Pilgrims will attend daily Mass, climb Apparition Hill and Mt. Krizevac, and pray the rosary at both sites. Higgins noted that participants can climb at their own pace.
“I know some people think the physicality might be hard, but we will not climb too much,” she said. “There are Stations of the Cross along the way, and people only hike as much as they can tolerate.”
Many visitors come seeking miracles or cures. Whatever they find, Higgins said, they leave with peace.
“It’s a wonderful experience. There is beautiful music, and people are praying everywhere. You can feel the Blessed Mother. It’s a powerful place.”
The original six visionaries still report private visits from Mary. She has shared 10 secrets with them, though most remain undisclosed.
“Basically, people aren’t doing what they should be doing,” Higgins said. “For anyone who needs a sign or wants to know if this is real, I can tell you — it woke me up in 1999. It’s powerful.”
Interested in joining?
Contact ateam@206tours.com, jarred@206tours.com or (800) 206-8687.
Theresa Stratford is a freelance writer for The Miscellany. She lives in Charleston with her husband and three children and attends Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. Email her at tmmart89@gmail.com.
