Pope Francis requested from his envoy Henryk Hoser in Medjugorje to stay at his position and provide pastoral support to millions of Catholics who are visiting that place because of the testimony on the apparition of Virgin Mary.
As announced by Vatican, the initial mandate of Polish prelate Henryk Hoser to investigate the needs of pilgrims in Medjugorje was completed. The Pope asked him to offer spiritual guidance. He was appointed as an apostolic visitor.
In the statement was not noted the official stand of Vatican on the status of a long-term investigation of the apparitions of Virgin Mary.
The Vatican did not make the official stand although the foreign media reported the statement of the Pope on his way back from Portugal last year in which he noted that the woman who appeared was not mother of Jesus, but it was decided that priests can hold masses and take care of pilgrims.
Information that Medjugorje will become a separate diocese, and the Holy See will have direct jurisdiction over it, appeared at the end of the last year.
Almost million tourists from more than a hundred countries from all over the world visited Medjugorje last year. It is expected that this number will be even higher this year, and tourist workers are ready for that scenario. There are 20,000 available beds at the moment, and guests are often accommodated in the surrounding villages as well.
(Source: M. N./Klix.ba)
