Abstract
Medjugorje is one of the most well-known and attractive pilgrimage sites for Roman Catholics. The phenomenon of Medjugorje is linked to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to six children, which, according to the children’s claims, began in June 1981, after which this town has become one of the most visited destinations in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tens of thousands of pilgrims attend the International Youth Festival “Mladifest”, a religious gathering that has been going on for more than thirty years. The purpose of this paper is to research and explain how this religious event impacts a destination of pilgrimage. Field research included survey research and interviews with participants and representatives of organisations involved in the production of the event, as well as with representatives of the local community. The phenomenology of Medjugorje is presented in the context of the pilgrimage destination, and the fundamental features of the Mladifest are explored through the presentation of the origin and development and other aspects of the event. The analysis carried out indicates the impact of the event on the pilgrimage destination. Supporting the research are secondary data which are compared with the research results. The impact of tourism, as well as of events on the destination are reflected in economic, socio-cultural and environmental aspects. The research was conducted in the summer of 2022. It was carried out electronically, and in person via printed survey questionnaires. The questionnaires were completed in English, German and Hungarian.
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Recommended Citation
Stamenkovic, Igor; Dodig, Ivan; and Vukojević, Dajana
(2024)
"Impact Analysis of Religious Events: Medjugorje as a Pilgrimage Destination,"
International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage:
Vol. 12:
Iss.
2, Article 6.
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol12/iss2/6