It was Pope John Paul II’s heart’s desire to visit Sarajevo in Bosnia-Hercegovina, to give hope to the believers who had been suffering under the scourge of war for several years and to help the process of peace. The Croats and the Muslims had accepted the plan for peace, but the Serbs, who were the majority in Bosnia, had not yielded. All during the month of August, during Ivan’s mountain apparitions, Our Lady week after week prayed for peace in a special way. Amazingly, on August 25, in Her monthly message, She spoke about the Holy Father and his visit soon to the country. She reminds us what She said in the beginning of Her apparitions, that She, Herself, had chosen this Pope for these times. Her message follows:
“Today I am united with you in prayer in a special way, praying for the gift of the presence of my beloved Son in your home country. Pray, little children, for the health of my most beloved son, who suffers and whom I have chosen for these times. I pray and intercede before my Son, Jesus, so that the dream that your fathers had may be fulfilled. Pray, little children, in a special way because satan is strong and wants to destroy hope in your heart…â€
In August, the Pope told the journalists:
“Sarajevo in 1914 and again in 1994. What does this mean for Europe? Europe must reflect on this. Why is the risk of war in Europe beginning from the same point, and what must be done to overcome this?â€
When he was asked, “What does this situation say to you?â€
“Above all, it says that through human weakness, sin and history’s mistakes, God’s Providence is always present to guide us.â€