Pope Appoints New Envoy for Medjugorje, Here is Who is Coming

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Italian Bishop Francesco Cavina as the new Apostolic Visitor for Medjugorje, one of the most famous Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the world. In this role, he will succeed Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, whose resignation from service has been accepted. The Pope's new envoy has been appointed for an indefinite period.

According to the announcement on the official website of the Medjugorje parish and Radio Mir Medjugorje, Monsignor Francesco Cavina, retired bishop of the Italian diocese of Carpi, takes over the service of the special papal envoy for this pilgrimage center, which has been gathering believers from all over the world for decades.

Who is the Pope's New Envoy for Medjugorje?

Monsignor Francesco Cavina was born on February 17, 1955, in Faenza, Italy. He was ordained a priest in 1980 and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Carpi in 2011, where he served until 2019.

The parish priest of Medjugorje, Friar Zvonimir Pavičić, thanked the former Apostolic Visitor, Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, for his dedicated service, particularly emphasizing the closeness he showed toward parishioners, Franciscans, and numerous pilgrims.

He welcomed the Pope's new envoy and expressed hope for the continuation of successful cooperation.

Medjugorje Under the Special Care of the Vatican

Medjugorje has had an Apostolic Visitor since 2018, when Pope Francis appointed Polish Archbishop Henryk Hoser to the role. Following his death in 2021, Archbishop Aldo Cavalli assumed the office.

Medjugorje gained worldwide fame after 1981, when six young people began testifying about apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Believers call the Virgin Mary, whom they claim appears to them, the Queen of Peace.

Over the decades, claims of apparitions have been examined by numerous church commissions, and the question of their supernatural nature remained a subject of church discernment.

What Did the Vatican Decide About Medjugorje?

An important moment for Medjugorje occurred in 2024, when the Vatican published a document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, granting Medjugorje the status of 'Nihil obstat', meaning 'no obstacles'.

This decision enabled public worship and devotion associated with Medjugorje, while recognizing numerous positive spiritual fruits.

It is important to emphasize that the Vatican did not thereby confirm the supernatural nature of the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

The appointment of the new Apostolic Visitor continues the special pastoral care of the Holy See for Medjugorje, a place that has held a special position in the religious life of numerous Catholics worldwide for more than four decades.