Medjugorje International Youth Festival

Medjugorje International Youth Festival, also known as Mladifest, is an annual festival of the Catholic youth organized in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, between 1 and 6 August, to mark the birthday of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, on 5 August, as claimed by the alleged seers of the presumed local Marian apparitions. The festival was established in 1989 by two the Franciscan priests, Slavko Barbarić and Tomislav Vlašić.

Medjugorje International Youth Festival
Date1–6 August 2023 (every year)
LocationMedjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates43.1901756°N +17.677050°E / 43.1901756; +17.677050
TypeYouth festival
Organised byCatholic Church
ParticipantsBishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Mostar-Duvno
Websitewww.mladifest.com

History

Mladifest was established in 1989 by the two Herzegovinian Franciscans – Slavko Barbarić and Tomislav Vlašić – in order to celebrate Virgin Mary's alleged 2000th birthday, as claimed by the alleged seers of Our Lady of Medjugorje. At the time, Barbarić was sentenced for disobedience to the Church and was illegally active in Medjugorje until 2000.[1] Vlašić personally led the whole festival until 1991.[2]

Crowd of young people from around the world at the Medjugorje Festival

Every year, thousands of young people arrive in Medjugorje from all around the world.[3] On average, Mladifest is visited by some 50 thousand people every year.[3][4] Mladifest is the second-largest regular Catholic gathering of youth behind the World Youth Day.[4]

At the 2020 gathering, Pope Francis sent a message to the attendees stating that the Virgin Mary is "the great model of a Church with a young heart, ready to follow Christ with freshness and docility" and that her example should "always fascinate us and guide us". In his address, the Pope never once mentioned the alleged apparitions nor cited any of the alleged messages of the Our Lady of Medjugorje.[4]

Medjugorje Youth Festival inspired initiation of festivals in Croatia (Mladifest Hrvatska, since 2019)[5] and North America (North American Mladifest).[6] In April 2023, American and Canadian Croats gathered in Los Angeles.[7]

See also

Notes
  1. Perić 2020.
  2. CNAK.
  3. Vecernji.
  4. Allen 2020.
  5. IKA 2019.
  6. St. Anthony Croatian Catholic Church.
  7. HKM.

References

News articles
  • Allen, John L. Jr. (4 August 2020). "Medjugorje message expresses Pope Francis's 'Marian Classic'". Crux. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  • "Mladifest u Međugorju okupio tisuće mladih iz nekoliko europskih zemalja". Večernji list. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  • Perić, Ratko (5 August 2020). "Ordinarijat i "Mladifest"". Crkva na kamenu. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  • "Zabluda o "Gospinu rođendanu" ili kako je nastao "Mladifest"". Crkva na kamenu. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  • "Poznat program 1. Mladifesta u Hrvatskoj". IKA. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  • "Hrvati iz Amerike i Kanade okupili su se na ovogodišnjem Mladifestu u Los Angelesu". HKM. Croatian Catholic Network. 23 April 2023.
  • "Mladifest". St. Anthony Croatian Catholic Church. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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