SW News: Thousands of young Catholics participated in MLADIFEST, the annual youth festival held in Medjugorje —a village located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bible verse "Behold my mother and my brothers!" taken from the Gospel of Matthew was the theme of the 5-day festival which concluded on July 30.

The event began with the recitation of the Rosary on Wednesday, July 26, followed by Holy Mass and Eucharistic adoration. On Thursday, the Rosary recitation took place on Apparition Hill. Croatian football team manager Zlatko Dalić, a devout Catholic, shared his testimony at the festival. “Do not be afraid to witness the faith,” he encouraged young people. In 2022, Dalić made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje ahead of the FIFA World Cup tournament. Croatia finished second in the tournament.

This year's MLADIFEST came to a close on Sunday with the celebration of the Holy Mass on Cross Mountain by Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić, the parish priest of Medjugorje.

Medjugorje has gained significant attention since 1981 when six young persons claimed to have witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Every year around 50,000 people participate in MLADIFEST, which was officially started in 1989.