Cardinal Ernest Simoni-Troshani, from Albania, gave a homily at St. James Parish in Medjugorje during the World Youth Festival on August 3, 2017. He gave a moving testimony of his years in prison under the Communist regime as well as shared his testimony on Medjugorje. In his homily, he said:
“I am very happy and I feel that heaven is open above this place [Medjugorje] and the angels descend upon this place…â€
In testimony of how he came to be in Medjugorje, he relayed:
“I greatly desired that I would be here as a priest to celebrate Holy Mass here in Medjugorje. His Holiness, Pope Francis…I said to him, ‘Holiness, here people come who want to meet Jesus, to encounter Him. I would like to hear your word. The Word of Christ from your lips…Holiness, may I witness before the people of Medjugorje? I ask you, as the Vicar of Christ on earth.‘…With great joy, he said to me, ‘Go to Medjugorje, Spread the Good News!’â€
