It is expected that this year’s Youth Festival will surpass the record year 2019 in terms of the number of pilgrims arriving.
The international meeting of young people “Mladifest” in Medjugorje, this year under the motto “Mary really chose the better part”, was officially opened on Thursday with an evening prayer program at the outdoor altar of St. Jacob.
This year’s festival will bring together tens of thousands of young people from over 70 countries, and 500 priests from all over the world, and will be held until Tuesday, August 6.
“Traditionally, the most numerous pilgrims are from Poland, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia and France, and this year we have an increased arrival of pilgrims from Spain, South America and the United States of America,” said Ante Kozina, director of the Tourist Board of Čitluk Municipality, in an interview for Fena.
He pointed out that this year’s Youth Festival is expected to surpass the record year 2019 in terms of the number of pilgrims arriving.
“A larger number of pilgrim arrivals is expected than in recent years, especially because of the period we have gone through, namely the covid crisis and wars that have affected the tourism sector. This year, things are returning to a normal state, so we expect a record attendance at Mladifest”, emphasized Kozina.
He also added that this festival contributes to the development of tourism in Herzegovina in particular, but also in the entire country.
“These days, a large number of people come to Mladifest, and not all of them necessarily stay only in Medjugorje, there are quite a few who go to Mostar, Kravica or visit nearby sights, so by the arrivals and the number of people who are there, Herzegovina and the region they have great advantages”, said Kozina.
The program of this year’s Youth Festival will include catechesis, testimonies, liturgical celebrations, plays, prayers and adoration.
The next day, the program begins with the rosary at 6 a.m. on Podbrdo near the statue of Our Lady and continues until 8:30 p.m. when the procession with the statue of Our Lady will take place.
Saturday, August 3, is reserved for various testimonies as well as for evening meditation with candles, and Sunday, August 4, and Monday, August 5, offer a rich prayer and cultural program.
The last day of the event is Tuesday, August 6, when a private ascent to Križevac Hill will be organized starting at 2:00 a.m., followed by the celebration of Holy Mass on this hill, which will mark the end of Mladifest.
The parish office of Međugorje informs all pilgrims and media workers that during the duration of the program of the 35th Youth Festival in Medjugorje, the use of drones for filming on the church grounds where the Mladifest program is held will not be allowed, except for the drones of official photographers and videographers, and they warn that all drones will due to the safety of Mladifest participants, be removed in cooperation with the police.
On this occasion, the Ministry of the Interior of Herzegovina-Neretva County also made an announcement.
“It happens that in a small area above the heads of the pilgrims, in addition to the official drone of the Parish of Međugorje, several other drones fly at the same time, which creates an increased risk for the life, health and property of the gathered pilgrims. The internal services for the protection of people and property are obliged to take all measures and actions within their jurisdiction to prevent threats to the safety of citizens and their property by the unauthorized and irresponsible use of drones,” the police statement reads.
This year’s program of Mladifest can be followed through the official media channel Media Mir Međugorje (radio station, YouTube, Facebook…) in Croatian, English, Italian, German, French, Polish, Spanish, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Czech, Arabic, Slovenian, Romanian, Korean and Chinese.
Source: blesak.info
