June 19, 2014 A.D.
The following is Vicka’s account of June 24, 1981, the day Our Lady first appeared in Medjugorje.
Earlier in the day, Mirjana and Ivanka had gone to Vicka Ivankovic’s house (no relation to Ivanka) to invite her to join them on their walk. Vicka, 17 years old, was resting, but her mother told the two friends that she would give Vicka the message to join them later. Vicka recounted what happened next.
“I went to look for Ivanka and Mirjana, because every summer we are together all the time. When I reached the road where they were, I noticed they were waving with their hands and calling me to come. I was wearing slippers. When I got to where they were, Mirjana said: ‘Look up there. The Madonna!’ I said: ‘What do you mean, the Madonna? What is the matter with you?’ I did not even look—did not take the time to bother to look.
“I kicked off my slippers and ran barefooted toward (the village)…On my way back, I met Ivan Dravicevic (16 years old, who is no relation to Mirjana) and Ivan Ivankovic (20 years old, who is no relation to Vicka or Ivanka). They were picking apples, and asked me if I wanted some. I said no, and then I said: ‘Ivan (Dravicevic), the Madonna…they said that the Madonna has appeared up there. Let’s go there you and me. I’m afraid.’ Ivan said: ‘Of course we’ll go, but why are you afraid?’ I thought: He’s not afraid. But when we got there, I turned toward Ivan and asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ He was gone. I saw him running away.
“Then I asked Ivan Ivankovic: ‘Do you see anything?’ He said: ‘I see something completely white, turning.’
“The little sister of Marija (Milka), was with us then, and I asked her if she saw anything. She said: ‘I see the Madonna.’
“When I went up there the first time, I stood a little distance from them. I was afraid. But when I went the second time, I said to myself: If they are not running away, I will not run away either.
“This was after 6:30 in the evening. It was raining a little and beginning to get dark.
“I saw it…and what I saw was very white. I saw a gown, dark hair. All the time, She was covering and uncovering something She held in Her left hand. I was not able to see what else She was doing, but it looked like She was showing something. Then She called to us to come closer…but who was going to get any closer? We were saying to each other: ‘She is calling us, but who is going to go?’
-Visionary Vicka
The contagious smile of Vicka, a feature that every pilgrim who has witnessed it, remarks about its beauty. Of the six visionaries, Vicka has carried many physical sufferings. These were part of something that Our Lady asked her to carry for the conversion of sinners. However, in the midst of these sufferings, Vicka continued to show that image of joy that Our Lady called us to witness to.
September 25, 1996
