Looking Ahead to Our Lady’s Birthday, August 5, 2011

Our Lady revealed to the Medjugorje visionaries, in 1984, that Her true birthday is August 5 and that this particular birthday, August 5, 1984, would be Her 2,000th.

Our Lady revealed to the Medjugorje visionaries, in 1984, that Her true birthday is August 5 and that this particular birthday, August 5, 1984, would be Her 2,000th. This revelation was the cause of great joy for the whole village. For three days leading up to August 5th, they fasted and there was continuous prayer. Confessions were heard from the beginning of the day until late at night, the priests took no rest the entire day. So many people wanted the Sacrament that a call was put out around the region for more priests to come and help. Great numbers of people were converted. In anticipation of this day, Our Lady said:
 

“The priests who will hear Confessions will have great joy on that day.”
 

The visionaries said Our Lady was “very joyful” during these three days of fasting and continuous prayer and Our Lady repeated:
 

“I am very happy! Continue, continue. Continue to pray and to fast. Continue and make me happy each day.”
 

Later, the priests involved related that never in their lives had they felt such joy in their hearts.
On August 5, 1984, when Our Lady appeared to the visionaries, She was very happy and said the following message:
 

August 5, 1984—OUR LADY’S TWO THOUSANDTH BIRTHDAY
 

“Never in my life have I cried with sorrow, as I have cried this evening with joy. Thank you!”
 

Despite the great joy experienced in the first few years after Our Lady revealed Her birthday to be August 5, gradually over the years, little recognition was give to this day in the village. Our Lady’s birthday was celebrated in the private homes of the visionaries and some of the villagers, but there no longer were public celebrations as what had occurred in 1984.
 

After the birth of the Caritas Community, Caritas’ founder instituted the celebration of Our Lady’s birthday on August 5th within the community. He understood that with the apparitions not yet being approved, some people would have difficulty with celebrating Our Lady’s birthday on August 5th. He reasoned, however, that if Heaven desired this date to be known after 2,000 years of keeping it hidden, then those who believe in Our Lady’s apparitions have an obligation to celebrate this day, and that it should not be swept under the rug until after the apparitions have been approved. Our Lady’s obvious joy on that August 5, 1984 birthday confirmed that to him. Over the years, seeing August 5th becoming more obscured and forgotten, a desire grew in his heart to have Our Lady come to Caritas for a public celebration of Her birthday. That desire was finally realized when Marija returned to Caritas for five days of prayer leading up to August 5. These days of prayer took place August 1-5, 2005, and thousands from across the United States attended these apparitions. These days culminated in a beautiful miracle on Our Lady’s birthday.
 

Marija was with the Caritas community from July 20 to August 8, 2005. In connection with the apparitions at Caritas for Our Lady’s birthday, a unique opportunity was offered at the same time to join a Caritas pilgrimage leaving for Medjugorje by way of a chartered flight. It was titled, The Birth to Assumption Pilgrimage, inviting pilgrims to come to Caritas to celebrate Our Lady’s birthday, and leave from Birmingham on the chartered flight to celebrate Our Lady’s Assumption in Medjugorje. Marija and her family would also be on the flight, along with our founder, his family, and most of the Caritas community. August 8 was the day the chartered flight left Birmingham with 200 pilgrims headed to Medjugorje.
 

Join us over these next few weeks as we look back to 2005 when Our Lady came to Caritas for Her birthday. May it help you to make August 5 a day of celebration in your own family in remembering and honoring Our Lady.