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Festival was smaller than first thought

By Jakob Marschner on Aug 6, 2012

As the 23rd Youth Festival closes, the festival coordinator estimates between 35,000 and 40,000 young people attended. About 10,000 took part in the final Mass atop Cross Mountain on Monday. “We have received so much grace. Now we must share it with others” the coordinator says.

medjugorje youth festival 23 23rd mladifest august 2012

Not as many as first estimated. Last week’s Youth Festival in Medjugorje attracted about 40,000 young people from 71 countries, the coordinator says. Photo: Lidija Paris, Facebook

They were many, but not as many as it was first reported. Fr. Danko Perutina, the Franciscan in charge of the Youth Festival in Medjugorje, thinks between 35,000 and 40,000 took part in last week’s festival, half the number estimated by consistent local media reports.

“It is difficult to talk about exact figures, but the number was somewhere between 35,000 and 40,000″ Fr. Danko tells local news portal Brotnjo Online.

medjugorje youth festival mladifest 2012 august procession parish

Local volunteers waiting for the festival procession to begin on August 3. Photo: Lidija Paris, Facebook

The young people came from 71 countries throughout the world. The international choir and orchestra was composed from 70 musicians and singers from 22 countries. The evening Mass on the festival days saw a total of 2,455 concelebrations by priests, an average of 491 concelebrations per day.

At 5 am on Monday, about 10,000 young people attended the closing Mass on top of Cross Mountain. The Mass is the traditional culmination of the Youth Festival, and is being celebrated every year on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus.

fr fra father danko perutina franciscan priest medjugorje youth festival mladifest

Fr. Danko Perutina

“Like with all the previous festivals, this one was celebrated with joy, singing, playing, dancing, prayer, Adoration and teaching, so that the young people feel bad about leaving this meeting, and I feel bad too because we have received so much grace in such a short time” says Fr. Danko Perutina.

“However, this grace we must now share with others. We cannot keep it to ourselves.”

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The Virgin Mary’s message given on May 2nd 2013

"Dear children! Anew, I am calling you to love and not to judge. My Son, according to the will of the Heavenly Father, was among you to show you the way of salvation, to save you and not to judge you. If you desire to follow my Son, you will not judge but love like your Heavenly Father loves you. And when it is the most difficult for you, when you are falling under the weight of the cross do not despair, do not judge, instead remember that you are loved and praise the Heavenly Father because of His love. My children, do not deviate from the way on which I am leading you. Do not recklessly walk into perdition. May prayer and fasting strengthen you so that you can live as the Heavenly Father would desire; that you may be my apostles of faith and love; that your life may bless those whom you meet; that you may be one with the Heavenly Father and my Son. My children, that is the only truth, the truth that leads to your conversion, and then to the conversion of all those whom you meet – those who have not come to know my Son – all those who do not know what it means to love. My children, my Son gave you a gift of the shepherds. Take good care of them. Pray for them. Thank you."

April 2nd 2013

“Dear children, I am calling you to be one with my Son in spirit. I am calling you, through prayer, and the Holy Mass when my Son unites Himself with you in a special way, to try to be like Him; that, like Him, you may always be ready to carry out God’s will and not seek the fulfillment of your own. Because, my children, it is according to God’s will that you are and that you exist, and without God’s will you are nothing. As a mother, I am asking you to speak about the glory of God with your life because, in that way, you will also glorify yourself in accordance to His will. Show humility and love for your neighbor to everyone. Through such humility and love, my Son saved you and opened the way for you to the Heavenly Father. I implore you to keep opening the way to the Heavenly Father for all those who have not come to know Him and have not opened their hearts to His love. By your life, open the way to all those who still wander in search of the truth. My children, be my apostles who have not lived in vain. Do not forget that you will come before the Heavenly Father and tell Him about yourself. Be ready! Again I am warning you, pray for those whom my Son called, whose hands He blessed and whom He gave as a gift to you. Pray, pray, pray for your shepherds. Thank you.”

March 18th 2013

"Dear children! I call you to, with complete trust and joy, bless the name of the Lord and, day by day, to give Him thanks from the heart for His great love. My Son, through that love which He showed by the Cross, gave you the possibility to be forgiven for everything; so that you do not have to be ashamed or to hide, and out of fear not to open the door of your heart to my Son. To the contrary, my children, reconcile with the Heavenly Father so that you may be able to come to love yourselves as my Son loves you. When you come to love yourselves, you will also love others; in them you will see my Son and recognize the greatness of His love. Live in faith! Through me, my Son is preparing you for the works which He desires to do through you – works through which He desires to be glorified. Give Him thanks. Especially thank Him for the shepherds - for your intercessors in the reconcilliation with the Heavenly Father. I am thanking you, my children. Thank you."

March 2nd 2013

"Dear children! Anew, in a motherly way, I am calling you not to be of a hard heart. Do not shut your eyes to the warnings which the Heavenly Father sends to you out of love. Do you love Him above all else? Do you repent for having often forgotten that the Heavenly Father, out of His great love, sent his Son to redeem us by the Cross? Do you repent for not yet having accepted the message? My children, do not resist the love of my Son. Do not resist hope and peace. Along with your prayer and fasting, by His cross, my Son will cast away the darkness that wants to surround you and come to rule over you. He will give you the strength for a new life. Living it according to my Son, you will be a blessing and a hope to all those sinners who wander in the darkness of sin. My children, keep vigil. I, as a mother, am keeping vigil with you. I am especially praying and watching over those whom my Son called to be light-bearers and carriers of hope for you – for your shepherds. Thank you."

February 2nd 2013

“Dear children! Love is bringing me to you – the love which I desire to teach you also – real love; the love which my Son showed you when He died on the Cross out of love for you; the love which is always ready to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. How great is your love? My Motherly heart is sorrowful as it searches for love in your hearts. You are not ready to submit your will to God’s will out of love. You cannot help me to have those who have not come to know God’s love to come to know it, because you do not have real love. Consecrate your hearts to me and I will lead you. I will teach you to forgive, to love your enemies and to live according to my Son. Do not be afraid for yourselves. In afflictions my Son does not forget those who love. I will be beside you. I will implore the Heavenly Father for the light of eternal truth and love to illuminate you. Pray for your shepherds so that through your fasting and prayer they can lead you in love. Thank you.”