Medjugorje Message, July 18, 1985

“Dear children! Today I call you to place more blessed objects in your homes and that everyone put some blessed objects on their person. Bless all the objects and thus Satan will attack you less because you will have armor against him. Thank you for having responded to my call. 

Medjugorje Message, August 8, 1985

“Dear children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call. ”

The Spiritual Shield: Mirjana Dragičević-Soldo on Blessed Objects as Protection Against Evil

In the quiet village of Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Blessed Virgin Mary has reportedly appeared since 1981, visionary Mirjana Dragičević-Soldo has shared profound messages from the Virgin marythat resonate with Catholics worldwide. Mirjana emphasizes the importance of keeping blessed objects in the home as a safeguard against Satan and the forces of evil. Rooted in the alleged apparitions of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, her guidance offers a spiritual framework for protecting families and fostering holiness in daily life. This article explores Mirjana’s statements on blessed objects, their significance in Catholic spirituality, and their role in combating spiritual darkness, drawing from her interviews and the broader context of Medjugorje’s messages.

Mirjana’s Role in Medjugorje

Mirjana Dragičević-Soldo, born on March 18, 1965, was just 16 when she and five other young people first reported seeing the Virgin Mary on June 24, 1981. According to Mirjana, Our Lady entrusted her with ten secrets concerning future events and gave her the mission to pray for unbelievers—those who have not yet experienced God’s love. Mirjana received daily apparitions until December 25, 1982, when she was the first visionary to receive all ten secrets. Since then, Our Lady has appeared to her annually on her birthday, March 18, and, until March 18, 2020, on the second of each month to pray for unbelievers. These encounters have shaped Mirjana’s spiritual insights, including her teachings on the protective power of blessed objects.

The Message of Blessed Objects

Mirjana’s guidance on blessed objects stems from a specific message she attributes to Our Lady, emphasizing their role as a defense against Satan’s influence. In a 2009 message relayed through the visionaries, the Blessed Virgin reportedly said, “You must protect yourselves against these things [Satan’s aggressions] through fasting and prayer, especially community prayer. Carry blessed objects with you.” This directive is part of a broader call to spiritual vigilance, urging Catholics to fortify their homes and lives against evil through tangible expressions of faith.

In another interview, Mirjana elaborated on the necessity of sacred objects in the home, stating, “Also, every family should have at least one sacred object in the house, and houses should be blessed regularly.” She explained that these objects—such as crucifixes, holy water, rosaries, or images of the Virgin Mary—when blessed by a priest, become conduits of divine grace. According to Mirjana, they serve as reminders of God’s presence and act as spiritual shields against the devil’s attempts to sow discord, despair, or temptation. This teaching aligns with Our Lady’s broader messages in Medjugorje, which include the “five stones” for defeating Satan: prayer, fasting, reading Scripture, confession, and the Eucharist.

The Catholic Context of Blessed Objects

The use of blessed objects, or sacramentals, is deeply rooted in Catholic tradition. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1670) describes sacramentals as “sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments” that “prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it.” Common sacramentals include holy water, blessed medals, scapulars, and rosaries, all of which are blessed by a priest to invoke God’s protection and grace. Mirjana’s emphasis on these objects reflects the Church’s teaching that they can strengthen faith and protect against spiritual harm when used with devotion.

In the context of Medjugorje, Our Lady’s messages, as relayed by Mirjana, underscore the reality of spiritual warfare. In a March 25, 2020, message through visionary Marija Pavlović-Lunetti, the Virgin Mary warned, “Satan is reigning and wants to destroy your lives and the earth on which you walk.” Mirjana’s call to keep blessed objects in the home responds to this threat, offering a practical means to invite God’s presence and repel evil influences. For Catholics, this practice is not superstitious but a faithful response to the Church’s tradition of using sacramentals to sanctify daily life.

Mirjana’s Specific Guidance

Mirjana’s statements highlight several key points about blessed objects:

1. Spiritual Protection: Blessed objects serve as a defense against Satan’s influence. Mirjana recounts a message from Our Lady explaining that the devil is particularly aggressive in this era, seeking to disrupt marriages, divide communities, and foster obsessions and sin. By keeping blessed objects in the home, families create a sacred environment that counters these attacks.
2. Regular House Blessings: Mirjana stresses that homes should be blessed regularly by a priest. This practice, she says, reinforces the spiritual sanctity of the household, making it a place of refuge from evil. A blessed home, adorned with sacramentals, becomes a domestic church where faith is lived out daily.
3. Community and Personal Prayer: The efficacy of blessed objects is amplified when paired with prayer and fasting, especially community prayer. Mirjana emphasizes that these practices, combined with sacramentals, form a powerful shield against the devil. Our Lady’s call for “community prayer” suggests that families should gather to pray the Rosary or other devotions, using blessed objects to focus their intentions.
4. Simplicity and Faith: Mirjana clarifies that the power of blessed objects lies not in the objects themselves but in the faith and grace they represent. She notes that God seeks “simple, peaceful” lives, free from malice, and that sacramentals help foster this disposition. By placing a blessed crucifix or statue of Mary in a prominent place, families are reminded to live in accordance with God’s love.

Practical Application in the Home

Mirjana’s teachings encourage Catholics to integrate blessed objects into their daily lives. Practical steps include:

• Placing Sacramentals Prominently: A blessed crucifix, statue of Our Lady, or holy water font can be placed in a central location, such as a living room or prayer corner, to inspire devotion and remind family members of God’s presence.
• Regular Blessings: Requesting a priest to bless the home annually or during significant times (e.g., Advent or Lent) reinforces its spiritual protection.
• Using Blessed Objects in Prayer: Praying the Rosary with a blessed rosary or sprinkling holy water during family prayers can enhance spiritual focus and protection.
• Educating the Family: Teaching children and family members about the significance of sacramentals fosters a deeper understanding of their role in Catholic life.

The Broader Context of Medjugorje

Mirjana’s emphasis on blessed objects is part of the larger spiritual message of Medjugorje, which calls for conversion, prayer, and a return to God. The Vatican’s 2024 nihil obstat for Medjugorje acknowledges the “abundant spiritual fruits” of the site, such as conversions and deepened faith, without definitively affirming the apparitions’ supernatural character. Mirjana’s messages, including those about blessed objects, align with the Church’s teachings on spiritual warfare and the use of sacramentals, resonating with pilgrims who report profound spiritual transformations.

In a 2019 interview, Mirjana shared that Our Lady’s messages are a call to “live a simple, peaceful life,” free from the malice that Satan seeks to instill. Blessed objects, in this context, are not mere talismans but tools to anchor families in faith, countering the devil’s influence through tangible reminders of God’s grace. The cessation of Mirjana’s monthly apparitions in 2020, announced on March 18, marked a significant moment, yet her annual apparitions continue, reinforcing her role as a conduit for Our Lady’s guidance.