Bound in Love

Our Lady of Medjugorje

Also known as the Queen of Peace and Mother of the Redeemer, is the title given to a series of reported Marian apparitions beginning on June 24, 1981, in the village of Međugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where six local children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary.  The apparitions, said to continue to this day, are not officially recognized by the Catholic Church, but the Vatican has acknowledged their spiritual value and authorized pilgrimages since 2019. 

Visionaries: The original six visionaries are Marija Pavlović, Ivan Dragičević, Vicka Ivanković, Jakov Čolo, Mirjana Dragičević, and Ivanka Ivanković. 

Apparition Frequency:

Marija, Ivan, and Vicka reportedly receive daily apparitions at 6:40 p.m.

Mirjana receives apparitions annually on March 18 (her birthday).

Jakov appears once a year on Christmas Day.

Ivanka appears annually on June 25, the anniversary of the first apparition. 

Messages: The Virgin Mary is said to have delivered messages urging prayer, fasting, conversion, and peace, often referencing ten secrets—some of which are said to have been revealed to the visionaries.  The third secret is believed to concern the end of the apparitions, and the final two warn of future punishments if humanity does not repent.

Vatican Status: As of September 19, 2024, the Vatican issued a statement recognizing the spiritual significance of Medjugorje but did not confirm the supernatural origin of the apparitions.  Pilgrimages are permitted, but the Church maintains a neutral stance on authenticity. 

Pilgrimage Site: Međugorje attracts over 1 million visitors annually, with key sites including Apparition Hill (Podbrdo), the Blue Cross, and St.  James Church.

Message from Our Lady Queen of Peace

Through visionary Mirjana Soldo on March 18th, 2026

“Dear children, never forget how great is the love of God. Through that love I am with you. Do not forget how great is His mercy. Through that mercy I am showing you the way to true happiness and perfect peace. That is the way to my Son. Therefore, my children, with complete trust, abandon yourselves to my Son and do not be afraid. Do not be afraid of the future because it belongs entirely to the will of my Son. Therefore, my children, renounce everything that distances you from my Son: false happiness, false hope, false splendor. Trust my Son. Tell Him about your pains, sufferings, desires and hopes. You will feel His love and His blessing. Thank you!”

Conyers

This refers to a series of reported visions of the Virgin Mary claimed by Nancy Fowler, a housewife from Conyers, from October 13, 1990, to October 13, 1998.  Fowler stated that the Virgin Mary appeared to her monthly until May 1994, after which messages were received only annually on October 13—the anniversary of the Fatima apparitions. 

Key Details:

Apparitions occurred on the 13th of each month (1990–1994), then annually on October 13 (1994–1998).

The site, known as “Our Loving Mother” or “the Farm”, attracted up to 100,000 pilgrims annually, including visitors from the U.S., Mexico, Haiti, and beyond.

Pilgrims reported mystical experiences, including the scent of roses, golden rosaries, and the sun spinning or changing colors.

Scientific testing, including metallurgical analysis of rosaries and stethoscope checks on a statue, found no evidence of supernatural transformation.

The Catholic Church did not endorse the apparitions.  The Archdiocese of Atlanta discouraged official pilgrimages and priest-led events, though some bishops acknowledged spiritual benefits. 

Legacy:

The site remains a point of interest, with the original farmhouse and surrounding area preserved.

The phenomenon is recognized as one of the longest-running Marian apparition sites in U.S. history.

While the public apparitions ended in 1998, Fowler reportedly continued to receive visions and messages, which are shared through her website and affiliated groups. 

From October 13, 1990, through October 13, 1998, Conyers housewife Nancy Fowler claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to her and relayed messages to all citizens of the United States. The messages ranged from admonitions to prayers to warnings of war. The Virgin’s supposed visits to Conyers, a suburban community about thirty miles east of Atlanta, make Conyers one of the longest-lived Marian apparition sites in the nation.

In the early 1990s the roads to Conyers were clogged with pilgrims yearning to hear Mary’s message. They came from every direction, but most were from heavily Hispanic southern Florida. They headed toward a large field adjacent to Fowler’s home. Once there, they prayed on Mary’s Holy Hill, filled bottles with water from the Blessed Well, or visited the small bookstore on the property.

At midday the pilgrims moved toward Fowler’s farmhouse. Inside, Fowler waited for a message from the Virgin Mary in the Apparition Room; outside, members of Our Loving Mother’s Children, the volunteer group that organized the Conyers gatherings, led the crowd in song and in prayer. The pilgrims prayed in their native tongues, including English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. When Mary’s message was broadcast over loudspeakers, the pilgrims raised their rosaries, icons, and petitions heavenward, hoping the items would be blessed by the presence of the Virgin Mary. Some claimed miracles at this site—rosaries turning to gold, the sun spinning and changing colors, and the scent of rose petals filling the air.Fowler, a homemaker and the divorced wife of a retired air force officer, was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by her Roman Catholic father and her Eastern Rite Catholic mother. Her mystical experiences began in the 1980s, but it was not until October 13, 1990, that Fowler said the Virgin Mary instructed her to take her message to the public. Until May 1 3, 1994, the messages continued monthly. After that date they came only on October 13 of each year and after October 13, 1998, ceased completely. The Marian apparitions at Conyers are now part of the long history of appearances by the Virgin Mary that have been recorded since the Middle Ages, including the famous visions in Guadalupe, Mexico; Lourdes, France; and Fatima, Portugal.