We join spiritually with the hundreds of thousands of faithful from all over the world, who in these nine days will “connect” heart to heart, in a network of prayer.
The apparitions in Medjugorje began on June 24, 1981 but the anniversary is celebrated on June 25, as Our Lady herself requested in his message of February 2, 1982: “I would like the feast in honor of the Queen of Peace to be celebrated on June 25th. Precisely on that day, in fact, the faithful came to the hill for the first time.”
The anniversary of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace is celebrated on June 25th, but the parishioners of Medjugorje begin the Novena one day earlier, on June 15th to end it on the eve of two important appointments.
In fact, June 24th is a great celebration in Medjugorje St. John Baptist and then it is held there traditional Peace March, dates back at the time of the Balkan War, way back in 1992, and the soul of this initiative was Father Slavko Barbaric until 2000, the year of his birth in Heaven. It was strongly desired to ask for peace, an intent that is as valid today as it was then.
In Medjugorje the novenas are made up of renunciations, fasting, offerings, as well as prayer, so June 24th could not have been completed completely, given that it is a solemnity and there is no fasting.
We offer you two versions: the complete one which is the same one that is recited both early in the morning on Podbrdo, the hill of apparitions, and in the church of St. James during the international evening program; the reduced one for those who have little time for family or work reasons, but still want to join the Novena to thank the Madonna and entrust their intentions to her.
Novena to Our Lady of Medjugorje: prayer of the ninth day
Complete version
Today’s intention: let us pray for the visionaries
Prayer to the Queen of Peace
Mother of God and our mother Mary, Queen of Peace! You came among us to guide us to God. Obtain grace from Him for us so that, following your example, we too can not only say: “May it be done to me according to Your Word”, but also put it into practice. We place our hands in Your hands so that through our miseries and difficulties, You can accompany us to Him. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
Creed, 7 Patere, Ave, Gloria
Veni Creator Spiritus
Come, O Creator Spirit,
visit our minds,
fill with your grace
the hearts you created.
O sweet comforter,
gift from the Most High Father,
living water, fire, love,
holy chrism of the soul.
Finger of the hand of God,
promised by the Savior,
radiate your seven gifts,
inspires the word in us.
Be light to the intellect,
burning flame in the heart;
heal our wounds
with the balm of your love.
Defend us from the enemy,
brings the gift of peace,
your invincible guide
protect us from evil.
Light of eternal wisdom,
reveal to us the great mystery
of God the Father and the Son
united in one Love.
Amen.
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary are recited followed by the Litany
Readings to meditate on
From the Gospel (Jn 17, 24-26)
Jesus, then, turning his eyes towards heaven, said: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may contemplate my glory, which you have given me; for you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; these know that you sent me. And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
Message of June 25, 1987
“Dear children! Today I thank you and wish to invite you all to the peace of the Lord. I want each of you to experience in your heart that peace that God gives. Today I want to bless you all; I bless you with the blessing of the Lord. And I beg you, dear children, to follow and live my path. I love you, dear children; and therefore who knows how many times I invite you. and I thank you for everything you are doing according to my intentions. I beg you, help me, so that I can offer you to the Lord and so that he can save you and guide you on the path of salvation. Thanks for answering my call!”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (2617)
Mary’s prayer is revealed to us at the dawn of the Fullness of time. Before the Incarnation of the Son of God and before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, his prayer cooperates in a unique way with the benevolent plan of the Father: at the moment of the Annunciation for the conception of Christ, and while awaiting Pentecost for the formation of the Church, Body of Christ. In the faith of her humble servant, the Gift of God finds the welcome it has been waiting for since the beginning of time. She whom the Almighty has made “full of grace”, he responds with the offering of his entire being: “Here I am, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me as you have said”. Fiat is the Christian prayer: to be entirely for him, since he is entirely for us.
Shortened version
Prayer to the Queen of Peace
Mother of God and our mother Mary, Queen of Peace! You came among us to guide us to God. Obtain grace from Him for us so that, following your example, we too can not only say: “May it be done to me according to Your Word”, but also put it into practice. We place our hands in Your hands so that through our miseries and difficulties, You can accompany us to Him. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
Creed, 7 Patere, Ave, Gloria
Veni Creator Spiritus
Come, O Creator Spirit,
visit our minds,
fill with your grace
the hearts you created.
O sweet comforter,
gift from the Most High Father,
living water, fire, love,
holy chrism of the soul.
Finger of the hand of God,
promised by the Savior,
radiate your seven gifts,
inspires the word in us.
Be light to the intellect,
burning flame in the heart;
heal our wounds
with the balm of your love.
Defend us from the enemy,
brings the gift of peace,
your invincible guide
protect us from evil.
Light of eternal wisdom,
reveal to us the great mystery
of God the Father and the Son
united in one Love.
Amen.
Readings to meditate on
From the Gospel (John 17, 24-26)
Jesus, then, turning his eyes towards heaven, said: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may contemplate my glory, which you have given me; for you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; these know that you sent me. And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
Message of June 25, 1987
“Dear children! Today I thank you and wish to invite you all to the peace of the Lord. I want each of you to experience in your heart that peace that God gives. Today I want to bless you all; I bless you with the blessing of the Lord. And I beg you, dear children, to follow and live my path. I love you, dear children; and therefore who knows how many times I invite you. and I thank you for everything you are doing according to my intentions. I beg you, help me, so that I can offer you to the Lord and so that he can save you and guide you on the path of salvation. Thanks for answering my call!”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (2617)
Mary’s prayer is revealed to us at the dawn of the Fullness of time. Before the Incarnation of the Son of God and before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, his prayer cooperates in a unique way with the benevolent plan of the Father: at the moment of the Annunciation for the conception of Christ, and while awaiting Pentecost for the formation of the Church, Body of Christ. In the faith of her humble servant, the Gift of God finds the welcome it has been waiting for since the beginning of time. She whom the Almighty has made “full of grace”, he responds with the offering of his entire being: “Here I am, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me as you have said”. Fiat is the Christian prayer: to be entirely for him, since he is entirely for us.
Final prayer
Thank you, O Father, for the gift of prayer through which we can touch your heart; in which You give yourself to us and teach us to give ourselves completely to You. We pray to you today for all the intentions of the Queen of Peace, for everything that is necessary so that the whole world, through Mary, can enter into your glory, into the glory of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
