More than 2,200 pilgrims from Ukraine, mainly women and children, traveled to Medjugorje to pray for peace. This was the goal of their pilgrimage, which was accompanied by about 90 priests. The journey from Ukraine to Medjugorje usually takes 27 hours. Now, however, some buses had to wait at the border on their way out of Ukraine for up to 20-40 hours. Their journey was a sacrifice, a prayer for the gift of open hearts to receive the King of Peace.

From Podbrdo, Krizevac and during the community liturgy, the prayer for peace, for the gift of God’s love, reconciliation, for the end of the war, was heard.

After their departure, Medjugorie was filled with hundreds of pilgrims from all over the world, among them were many pilgrims from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. With gratitude, we prayerfully submitted the past year and set out for the new year of 2023. Renewed by prayer with each other, reborn through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, strengthened by the Eucharist, testimonies and sharing, we were able to experience that peace is possible by constantly striving to put God first in our lives.

Dear friends, from the bottom of our hearts we wish you a blessed New Year. With gratitude and responsibility, let us live what the Queen of Peace calls us to. Let us live her messages, the daily prayer of the Rosary, the contemplation of the Gospel, let us confess monthly, let us often receive the Eucharist, let us fast. These are the means by which She leads us to her Son. Let us form prayer groups, let us renew prayer together in families. Let us pray together for peace in our hearts, in our families and in the world.