St. James Church in Me?ugorje, Bosnia and Hercegovina. Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to six Croats at 24 June, 1981 near this place.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

St James Church complex

Bosnia & Hercegovina


Međugorje's central focus is this rather functional double-towered 1969 church and the parklike grounds behind it. The main daily service is a 6pm rosary followed by a 7pm Mass, which in summer is celebrated in the huge outdoor arc behind the church. From here an avenue, lined with mosaics representing the rosary's Luminous Mysteries, leads to a garden showcasing a mesmerising 5m-tall bronze statue – the Resurrected Saviour (1998) by Ajdo Ajdić – of Jesus standing crucified yet without a cross.

A small army of priests are on hand to hear confessions in a variety of languages throughout the day.