The recent decision by the Vatican to acknowledge the “spiritual fruits” of Medjugorje, while simultaneously avoiding the recognition of supernatural apparitions, is part of a broader strategic game by the Church. Instead of confronting the phenomenon head-on, the Vatican shifts the focus to what is certain – prayer, sacraments, Christ – while the supernatural becomes peripheral. Beneath this maneuver lies a history where the Franciscans, both from Herzegovina and Bosnia, found themselves on different sides of the historical conflict with the Ottomans.
The Franciscans of Zaostrog and Sinj: Guardians of Faith and Fighters Against the Ottomans
The Franciscans of Zaostrog and Sinj, who represented the Franciscans of Herzegovina, never bowed to the Ottoman tyrants. When the Ottomans occupied Herzegovina, they retreated to Dalmatia, organizing uprisings and resisting from liberated territories. Their efforts led to the liberation of parts of the parishes in Herzegovina, and these Franciscans rightfully deserved to return to those same parishes as the true guardians of faith. However, history took a different course.
Although it would have been natural for the Franciscans of Zaostrog and Sinj to establish the Franciscan province in Herzegovina, that did not happen. The current Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, paradoxically, was founded by Bosnian Franciscans – the same ones who had made pacts with the Ottomans for centuries, calling themselves the “Redodržava” (order-state) and ensuring the stability of the Ottoman regime in Bosnia. Instead of the Herzegovinian Franciscans returning to their lands, the Bosnian Franciscans took control, establishing dominance in new circumstances. They became the heirs of the parishes the Herzegovinian Franciscans helped liberate, but only after the Ottomans expelled the Franciscans from the southern parts of Herzegovina.
There are records of how the Franciscans of Zaostrog and Sinj were expelled from Herzegovina by the Ottoman sword, and at the request of the Bosnian Franciscans, who thus solidified their position. These records, however, are rarely mentioned, hidden from public view and accessible to only a few. You will never be able to read them, but their shadow still looms over the historical relations within the Franciscan order.
There is a letter from Bartul Kašić, the father of the Croatian literary language, after his mission to Bosnia, in which he writes in a state of panic, pleading not to send any new clergy to Bosnia and Hum. He warns that the Franciscan lords have become so emboldened that they will sell any new priest not under their authority into Turkish slavery.
Medjugorje as a Relic of the Order-state
Today, Medjugorje symbolizes this historical legacy. It is not merely a place of devotion, but a relic of the old “Redodržava”. As descendants of those who once served the sultan, the Franciscans in Medjugorje now build a cult based on old models, recognizable throughout history. Medjugorje attracts millions, but its foundation lies in a phenomenon that serves the interests of a structure that hasn’t always been loyal to the Pope.
In this context, the cult of the Queen of Heaven – a cult that existed long before the Christianization of Europe – becomes relevant. The Church has historically shrewdly adopted ancient cults, transforming them into Marian traditions. The cult of the Virgin Mary and her Assumption strengthened the Church’s power at times when pagan customs still held sway. Medjugorje, with its modern devotion to the Queen of Peace, is part of that tradition, albeit in a modern, schismatic guise.
The Vatican’s Game of Mercy
The Vatican is undoubtedly aware of how delicate it is to dismantle a phenomenon like Medjugorje, which is so deeply rooted among believers. Instead of escalating the conflict, the Church wisely shifts the focus to the “spiritual fruits” – prayer, the Eucharist, and Christ. Supernatural phenomena become peripheral, and the visionaries are referred to as “alleged.” This maneuver gives space for the Franciscans in Medjugorje to gradually withdraw, while the Church continues to lead its flock toward the core values of the faith.
However, the question arises: How merciful is the Vatican truly towards these rebels? The Franciscans who once served the Ottoman sultan now build a profitable center in Medjugorje, and the Vatican grants them a graceful exit. Pope Francis’ rejection of the replica of the Ahdname – a symbol of loyalty to the sultan – did not go unnoticed. The historical legacy of the Bosnian Franciscans, who maintained alliances with the Ottomans for centuries, remains indelible in the eyes of the Church.
Mercy Toward the Betrayers
On the other hand, the Franciscans of Herzegovina, those from Zaostrog and Sinj, remain symbols of resistance. They did not compromise but fought and organized uprisings.
Their history is not tainted by betrayal but by the fight for freedom from the Ottomans. Yet ironically, it was they who were expelled from their own parishes at the request of the Bosnian Franciscans, who now dominate the Herzegovinian Province.
Perhaps the Vatican is too merciful towards the heirs of the Order-State (Redodržava). Medjugorje, as a profitable and schismatic center, remains a thorn in the side for many within the Church, but the question is whether these “spiritual fruits” will indeed yield the future the Church desires, or if they will remain the seed of an ancient cult that never fully died out.
The Vatican is merciful – perhaps too merciful toward those who have betrayed the Church and the Pope for centuries.
Ivan Urkov l poskok.info