Has the Church approved or condemned the apparitions in Medjugorje?
The apparitions
themselves are neither approved nor condemned. The Church has granted a "nihil obstat" (no
objection) to the devotion of Medjugorje.
Summary of the Church's current position
The Catholic Church's current position on the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje remains neutral, as the apparitions have not been officially approved or condemned. However, significant developments occurred in 2024:
Approval of the Devotion: On September 19, 2024, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a note endorsing "prudent devotion" to Mary at Medjugorje. This approval acknowledges the spiritual fruits of Medjugorje, such as conversions, renewed faith practices, and vocations, without declaring the alleged apparitions as supernatural in origin.
Local Bishop of Mostar in 1981
Initially in 1981 the local Bishop, Pavao Žanić, was positive towards the apparitions in Medjugorje, however by 1982, the Bishop received increasing pressure from the communist authorities and also became concerned that the local Franciscans were using the apparitions and the visionaries to gain advantage in a long running regional dispute between the diocese of Mostar and the local Franciscans.
Normally, in the case of apparitions, the local Bishop issues the official ruling on their authenticity. However, in 1986 due to the complexities of Medjugorje, the official Church decision concerning the validity of the apparitions was removed from the local Bishop of Mostar (and his successors) by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was at that time the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The local Bishop and the diocesan commissions he had set up were then released from any further investigations into Medjugorje. The Yugoslav Bishops’ Conference was then ordered by Cardinal Ratzinger to appoint a new commission under its direction.
Bishops' Conference of the former Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991
The neutral decision (Non constat de supernaturalitate) was issued on the 10th of April 1991 by the Bishops' Conference of the former Republic of Yugoslavia and still stands today as the official and current position of the Catholic Church. This decision does not prevent the possibility that the alleged apparitions could be approved or condemned in the future by the Church.
Official terminology
When ruling on the authenticity of apparitions the Church uses one of three terms in Latin to declare its official position. It is important to be familiar with each of these terms and have the correct understanding of them when considering the official Church status of any apparition.
(1) Constat de non supernaturalitate
Consists of the non-supernatural therefore condemned.
(2) Non constat de supernaturalitate
No agreement about the supernatural, therefore neither approved nor condemned - not determined – a
neutral judgement,
that does not rule out a verdict of approval or condemnation in the future. [This is the current
Church status with regards to the apparitions at Medjugorje.]
(3) Constat de supernaturalitate
Consists of the supernatural therefore approved.
In Catholic theology the term supernatural refers to that produced by God, while preternatural refers to that produced by the angelic or demonic etc.
The Ruini commission 2010-2014
From 2010 to 2014, the Vatican conducted an investigative commission headed by Cardinal Ruini. The report containing the commission's findings, commonly known as "The Ruini Report," was submitted to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The report separated the apparitions into two time periods: the earliest apparitions and the events afterwards. It is believed that the report records that the majority of the commission voted to approve the first apparitions between the 24th of June and the 3rd of July 1981.
However, the commission had some mixed views concerning events after that date, both positive and negative. Therefore, for events after the 3rd of July 1981, the majority of the commission voted at that time to suspend making an overall judgment of these later events. It is important to note that the decision on the later events was, in effect, a neutral verdict, and not a condemnation. It concluded more time for discernment and consideration of the later events in their complete context is required.
The final decision concerning the Apparitions rests with the Vatican.
Pope Appoints an Archbishop as Special Envoy to Medjugorje in 2017
In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Henryk Hoser to Medjugorje as a special Vatican representative.
In 2021, Pope Francis, following the death of Archbishop Henryk Hoser, appointed the Italian Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, a former Apostolic Nuncio, as a special Apostolic Visitor to the parish of Medjugorje.
Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, upon his arrival in Medjugorje, told the Sarajevo Times Newspaper his primary task was to talk to the Franciscan friars.
"They are the ones I first met. And I saw that they love this place. They gladly confess, they gladly preach, they are at the disposal of the grace of God. And that is very positive. This morning I saw the church, the places where people come, and I always get one deep question: Why do so many people come here? And there is one deep "why." They don't come for fun, but for other reasons. I have always noticed that they come with the desire to meet the Lord, to pray, and to be in the company of the Virgin Mary."
In 2019 Pope Permits Official Pilgrimages to Medjugorje
In 2019, Pope Francis announced that dioceses and other Catholic institutions are now permitted to organise official pilgrimages to Medjugorje. This was not done to signify official recognition of the apparitions but to assist with the pastoral needs of the Pilgrims. Prior to this announcement, only private pilgrimages were permitted to Medjugorje.
New norms released for discerning alleged supernatural phenomena - 2024
On 17 May 2024, the Vatican introduced new norms for discerning alleged supernatural phenomena, such as apparitions and visions. These norms emphasise caution and centralise authority with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), requiring local bishops to consult and obtain final approval from the dicastery before making any determination on supernatural origins.
The process involves a three-stage evaluation, culminating in one of six possible conclusions, with nihil obstat being the most positive ruling. This indicates no doctrinal objections to devotion without affirming supernatural authenticity. Unlike historical cases in the past, where apparitions were officially recognised as supernatural, the new norms avoid definitive declarations of supernatural origins. Instead, they aim to streamline the process, prevent misinformation, and ensure that devotion aligns with Church teachings.
Approval of Medjugorje Devotion - 2024
On 19 September 2024, the Vatican officially approved devotion to the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje by granting a nihil obstat (Latin for "nothing obstructs"), the highest level of approval under the new norms for spiritual phenomena. This decision, issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and endorsed by Pope Francis during an audience on 28 August, was also supported by the local Bishop of Mostar.
The nihil obstat acknowledges the abundant spiritual fruits associated with Medjugorje, such as conversions and deepened faith, while refraining from affirming the supernatural authenticity of the alleged Marian apparitions. In line with the new norms issued in May 2024, the Church will generally no longer declare supernatural origins for such phenomena but instead focus on their pastoral value and alignment with Church teachings. This approach was introduced to streamline approval processes and avoid prolonged delays often associated with making definitive statements on supernatural origins.
However, a pope may still make an extraordinary declaration of supernatural authenticity if he so chooses, but since the new norms of May 2024, declarations of supernatural authenticity will no longer be standard practice in future.
The Vatican's endorsement of "prudent devotion" to Our Lady Queen of Peace at Medjugorje marks a very important and significant development in its approach to the site. It acknowledges the numerous spiritual benefits experienced by pilgrims. This decision reflects a pastoral and spiritual focus in addressing Medjugorje.