A few years ago, my husband changed our desktop wallpaper to a gorgeous image of Christ and the Apostles at the last supper. It was a mosaic, drawn in beautiful and vibrant colors. We didn’t know it’s origins, or the name of the artist, and we had a hard time coming up with it on our own. We really wanted to find the original and order a high definition print for our family, but neither of us could find the artist.
Now we are living in Italy, we have marveled in the presence of real mosaics, and on a whim I decided to try searching to see if maybe it wasn’t a drawing. But not only is it real, it is one of four outdoor mosaics, dedicated to the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary!
Where are they? They’re located at St. James Roman Catholic Church, in Medjugorje. Perhaps you’ve heard of the alleged apparition site in Croatia. I (and EpicPew) do not opine on the matter of the apparitions, but a Catholic Church is a Catholic Church—and this one stand a pretty impressive for mosaic art.
Also on site, pilgrims can walk a path of stations of the cross and all the mysteries of the rosary, which are also grand and beautiful, but humbled in appearance next to the mosaics.
St. James Roman Catholic Church, in Medjugorje, is a controversial place, but it would be pretty worthwhile to see these impressive and inspiring mosaics. The more I learn about the Marian apparitions, messages, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, dedication to the rosary, the pilgrimages, processions, and history of the area, it’s building my excitement for a visit! The site of so many miracles, and yet it’s the small beautiful things that you’ll read about over and over on the travel blogs. Such as the birds sing, day and night at the site. One blogger was so stunned by this that she added video of the birds singing in the pitch black of night to her review!
The Luminous Mysteries are lit so that pilgrims can pray well into the evenings and early mornings. Mass is celebrated and there are evening group prayers dedicated to the rosary every evening.
