The National Catholic Register (NCR) is reporting that the Vatican released the following statement on the morning of January 18.
"The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, confirmed on Saturday that the international commission investigating the events in Medjugorje held its last meeting on 17 January. The commission, created by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is presided by Cardinal Camillo Ruini. The commission has reportedly completed its work and will submit the outcomes of its study to the Congregation."
The Congregation will examine the report, and then give it to Pope Francis who will make the final decision; however, this is expected to take some time.
"The commission, which has been working in strict secrecy since 2010, is made up of an international panel of cardinals, bishops, theologians and other experts who have been undertaking a detailed study of reports of Marian apparitions at Medjugorje which began in 1981," NCR reports. "These apparitions continue regularly to this day, according to the shrine’s six “seers”, attracting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year."
Several Croatian news outlets are speculating that the commission's findings are "neither yes or no" and that people will be permitted to continue visiting.
As NCR points out, the Vatican currently does not forbid pilgrims from visiting Medjugorje, "but visitors are asked not to engage in public celebrations that take for granted the authenticity of the apparitions."
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