It was On June 24th 1981, On the feast of St John the Baptist, that  a  small village called Medjugorje, (pronounced Med-yu-gor-iay) hidden in the mountains of Bosnia, Herzegovina  was awoken from  a simple rural village  to one which would ultimately receive world attention.
In a small hamlet of Medjugorje called Bijakovici. Two girls called Mirjana Dragicevic aged sixteen, and Ivanka Ivankovic aged fifteen, were out walking when Ivanka happened to look up at a hill, called Mount Podbrdo. Also known today as the "Hill of Apparitions." Where she saw a silhouette shining figure. It seemed to be hovering at a distance of some two or three hundred yards, she then recognized it to be the figure of a young lady. although bewildered and unsure she called to Mirjana, look its the Gospa, jokingly (Gospa is Our Lady in Croatian) without even looking Mirjana said "come on would Our Lady appear to us,  and  continued on there journey  back to Bijakovici. 
             Later that same day  a friend of Mirjana and Ivanka called Milka Pavlovic asked if they would help her round up some sheep to which they agreed. On arriving at the same location as before. All three witnessed the same shining figure  hovering in the same place as before on Mount Podbrdo.
                   It was late  afternoon after 5pm by the time Vicka Ivankovic, a seventeen year old friend of Mirjana and Ivanka awoke from an afternoon rest, and joined the three girls. When she joined them Mirjana who was praying at the time, said to Vicka, to look up at the spot where Our Lady appeared. Vicka amazed but  frightened ran off.  Where on her descent she met Ivan Ivankovic and Ivan Dragicevic who on hearing Vicka's story finished collecting apples and joined her, to return to the three girls she had deserted. 
                   On joining the three girls, Vicka and Ivan Ivankovic knelt down and prayed.  Ivan Dragicevic had already fled,  Vicka only realising moments before when she had turned to speak to him. The children were naturally still unsure of what was taking place, but they felt at great peace and were inwardly completely content. As they looked on from some distance, Our Lady appeared to carry the infant Jesus  in her left arm, and with her right appeared to pass her hand  over baby Jesus's forehead, Ivanka noted. The group remained routed to the spot though Our Lady beckoned them gently to come closer. This was the first day of apparitions which lasted approximately forty five minutes it was now getting dark Vicka was first to leave the others soon followed. Day two would confirm their beliefs that they were witnessing  apparitions of  the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Day two thurs 25th June 1981

The next day Thurs 25th of June, The seers had gone to work as normal in the tobacco fields.  They decided after work to take a walk in the direction of Mount Podbrodo, and if they saw the same apparition, all well and good. If they did not, they would not talk about it. People were starting to laugh at them and their suggestion of visions.

When they set off a couple of children had joined them as well as a few adults, when they arrived at the spot Ivanka saw the vision of Our Lady as did Vicka, who ran off to tell Marija Pavlovic and ten year old Jakov Colo whom they had promised to inform if she appeared again.  The vision on the hill beckoned them to come forward as the seers ran forward their flight appeared exceedingly fast, considering the treacherous rocks and prickly bushes, Vicka was also barefoot but she was also unscathed. When they arrived by her side they all fell to their knees including Jakov who fell on a thorny bush, but was without a scratch. Marija could only see a white blur but finally she saw Our Lady, as did Jakov.

The most striking feature it is said of Our Lady is her eyes, which are supposed to be incredible light blue. The first person to speak to Our Lady was Ivanka who had lost her mother two months prior. Our Lady told her that her mother was fine and do not worry. People in general were pleased to hear this news, as her mother was not particularly a religious woman, although a good mother. It showed one does not to have to be a saint to go to heaven.    It was Mirjana next who wanted some kind of a little miracle to quell the folk in the village from there joking. But Our Lady gently smiled at her, and nothing more.  There were prayers said on this day and a few tears. The only little miracle was when Vicka asked Mirjana what time it was, to which Mirjana responded three fifteen.  Vicka replied what do you mean three fifteen; you must have set the time wrong. What in fact had happened was the number 12 on her watch had strangely changed into number 9. As far as we know Mirjana still has that watch to this day.

While they prayed Our Lady joined them although she did not join in, on the Hail Mary.  On this day Our Lady asked them to join a creed to the prayers.  She was there for approximately fifteen minutes and then rose in the air, and the children watched as she departed.

Noticeable to the seers and apparently to some of the village folk who looked up at the hill of mount Podbrodo.  Three flashes of light rather like lightning precede Our lady?s apparition.  In conclusion the six seers of Medjugorje are, Ivanka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic a Jakov Colo, Mirjana Dragicevic Marija Pavlovic, Vicka Ivankovic. The pastor at the time of these apparitions was Father Jozo Zovko, but he was in Zagreb at the time of the apparitions. So a neighbor by the name of Marinko Ivankovic made it his concern for the welfare of these young people and told Father Zrinko Cuvalo, about his concerns, and what they had claimed to have seen, and that they were in need of help.  In the early days it was Marinko who was the support for these young people.

Vicka father was working away. Ivanka had just lost her mum, and her dad worked in Germany. Jakov seldom saw his father. who worked in Bosnia.  Mirjana was spending the summer in Medjugorje with her grandmother. While her parents lived in Sarajevo. All records of events were confiscated by the police on August 17th 1981..... Marinko however had kept records of all the events from the beginning?