The prayer program in the Shrine of Our Lady has developed step by step over the years. Right from the very first day of the apparitions of Our Lady, the children prayed the Creed, seven Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys and seven Glory Bes with Her.

In Her message of March 15, 1984, Our Lady told us to con­stantly adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. In an unexpected apparition to Ivan on August 14,1984, Our Lady asked us to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays and to pray at least the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the Ro­sary every day.

Speaking about the cross on Križevac, Our Lady explained that it was in God's plan at the time it was built and that we should kneel before it and pray (August 30, 1984.) As for the significance of the cross, Our Lady said on Septem­ber 12, 1985, that we should pray before it because immense graces come from it.

The daily evening program in the church takes place from 6 to 9 pm (6 pm: Rosary, 7 pm: Holy Mass, blessing of religious articles and the glorious mysteries of the Rosary).

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held Wednesday and Saturday from 10 to 11 pm and on Thursday immediately after evening mass.

Adoration and Veneration of the Cross take place in the church every Friday immediately after evening mass.

During the win­ter season, the prayer program starts one hour earlier.

Every Sunday at 4 pm, a Rosary for Peace is prayed on Appari­tion Hill and every Friday at 4 pm the Way of the Cross is prayed on Cross Mountain (during winter at 2pm respectively).

The sacrament of reconciliation in various languages is avail­able every day when the evening program starts and at previ­ously arranged times.

Mass in Croatian is celebrated Sunday and holy days of obliga­tion at 8 am, 11 am and 7 pm (winter: 6 pm); on weekdays at 7:30 am and 7 pm (winter: 6 pm).

On Saturday, Mass for Croatian pilgrims takes place at 1 pm in both winter and summer.

Holy Masses in English take place from Monday to Saturday at 10:00 am, and on Sunday & holy days of obligation at noon.

medjugorje.net

PARTICIPATION IN THE CHURCH PROGRAM

The Church of St. James is the center of prayer life for every parishioner and every pilgrim. The parishioners began building it in 1934, it was completed in 1969 and renovated in 1995/96.

The stained glass windows of the church were made by Branimir Dorotić, a Croatian artist from Zagreb and were installed in 1987. The windows on the right depict 14 scenes from the life of Our Lady while those on the left portray scenes pertaining to the apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje.

The Stations of the Cross in the church were made by the Italian artist Peppino Sacchi from Milan. The reliefs are hand-carved walnut and were blessed on February 23, 1996.

Since the beginning of the apparitions of Our Lady s in Medjugorje, the following Franciscan priests have been parish priests at St. James:

L Fr. Jozo Zovko: 1980-1982
2. Fr. Tomislav Pervan: 1982-1988
3. Fr. Leonardo Oreč: 1988-1991
4. Fr. Ivan Landeka: 1991- 2000
5. Fr. Ivan Sesar.2000-2001
6. Fr. Branko Radoš: since 2001 – 2006
7. Fr. Ivan Sesar 2006

While pilgrim groups have their own Mass celebrations in their respective languages each day before noon, with Adoration sometimes scheduled in the afternoon, everyone gathers to­gether for the evening program. In direct response to Our La­dy's requests, the evening program has evolved into its current three-hour format.

Mary has called us to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Holy Mass. That is why the first part of the program is such a preparation. In this first part, the Joyful and Sorrowful Myster­ies are prayed along with the Litany of Our Lady, the Invoca­tion to the Holy Spirit and the singing of the Salve Regina. Through this time of prayer and song together, the heart is opened and being prepared for the meeting with the living Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Priests are generally available for Confession at this time and those waiting to confess pray to­gether with the other faithful.

During this time of preparation, the visionaries likewise prepare for the apparition of Our Lady, which takes place approximately 20 minutes prior to Mass. During the time of the apparition, the faithful gathered in the church remain in short silence, becoming conscious of Mary's presence. She comes at this time to lead us to Jesus, which is Her only desire and Her only assignment.

The second part of the program is the celebration of Holy Mass. Mary desires for Holy Mass to be at the center of our prayers. Try to participate in it with your whole heart and soul. The Gospel is read in the various languages of the pilgrims. As you wait for the proclamation of the Gospel in your language, pray that you may be able to truly hear the Word of God and pray for all those who are listening to that Word with you.

The third part of the program consists of prayers after Mass: The Creed, seven Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys and seven Glory Bes. This traditional prayer is always prayed on our knees as a solemn promise to Our Lady for Her intentions.

Then follow the blessing of religious articles, Prayers for Heal­ing and the Glorious Mysteries. These Glorious Mysteries, prayed after Holy Mass, are also offered for Our Lady's intentions. Stay for these prayers. Our Lady desires for us to remain with Jesus, Who is truly with us.

On Thursdays, after Holy Mass, in accordance with Our Lady's wishes, we remain in Adoration of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

On Fridays, after the celebration of Holy Mass, we pray before the Holy Cross. Additionally, every Wednesday and Saturday, there is a special hour of Adoration, commencing one hour after the end of the evening program. After every Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Veneration of the Cross, we pray for healing of the mind, soul and body.

During your pilgrimage, you and your pilgrim group should try to participate in the evening program, to receive the Sacra­ment of Confession, to come to Adoration and Veneration and to pray on the Hill of Apparitions and on Mt. Križevac. Resolve to continue the prayer program that you learned in the school of Our Lady in your own parish and in your family.

In the summertime, weather permitting and to accommodate the greater number of pilgrims, the evening program often takes place on the outside Altar behind the church. Please strive to maintain a spirit of prayer and silence during the entire evening program, as you would during Holy Mass inside the church.

Adapted from Follow me with your heart by Father Slavko Barbarić, R.I.P