The Episcopal Conference of Bosnia-Hercegovina met for the first time in history in Mostar. They made no mention of Medjugorje, dealing with the results of the war, tens of thousands of displaced refugees, the horror of ethnic cleansing and beginning the process of reconciliation and forgiveness. Medjugorje had been under the authority of the Bishops Conference of Yugoslavia which dissolved when war came to their land. With the new organization of nations, the former bishops of Yugoslavia were now divided among different sovereign states. With the establishment of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia-Hercegovina, Medjugorje would now fall under their authority, yet it would still be years before they would re-open the investigation of the apparitions. However, Bishop Peric does publish a book this year expressing his belief that the apparitions are not authentic. So, while the nations that were ravaged by war begin the process of healing, the battle over Medjugorje begins to increase once again between those who believe and those who do not believe. Meanwhile, pilgrims are increasingly returning to Medjugorje and new ones are coming. The war did not dampen the enthusiasm of the apparitions. Rather, in the coming years, the numbers of pilgrims would be always increasing, along with the fruit of conversion that millions continued to experience.
