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Sights in M e đ ugorje
The center of pilgrim activity is St. James' Church (Crkva Sv. Jakova), which was built
before the apparitions. The exterior and interior are both pretty dull, but that doesn't stop
pilgrims from worshipping here at all times of day (inside and outside). The inside, like the
outside, is modern and monochromatic—with a soothing yellow color, and modern stained-
glass windows lining the nave. Out in front of the church are posted maps that are useful
for getting oriented, and a white statue of the Virgin Mary that attracts a lot of attention
from pilgrims. Outside, along the left side of the church, notice the long row of multilingual
confessional booths—each one marked with the language spoken by the priest inside, who
stands at the ready.
As you face the church, you'll see two trails leading up to the hills. Behind and to the
left of the church is Apparition Hill (at Podbrdo), where the sightings occurred (a one-mile
hike, topped by a statue of Mary). Directly behind the church is the Great Hill (Križevac,
or “Cross Mountain”), where a giant hilltop cross, which predates the visions, has become
a secondary site of pilgrimage (1.5-mile hike). Note that the paths up to the hilltops are em-
bedded with rocks. If you wonder why they don't make it easier to climb up, remember that
an act of pilgrimage is supposed to be challenging. In fact, pilgrims often do one or both of
these hikes barefoot, as an act of penitence.
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