At the base of Apparition Hill lies the Blue Cross.
Despite the ban by the militia at the time, increasing numbers of people have begun climbing the hill to pray after the first apparitions in 1981. On 27 July 1982, a group of youngsters, including the visionary Ivan, started their ascent. Unexpectedly, Our Lady appeared to Ivan here and warned him that he and the prayer group members should not proceed further, as a Yugoslav militia waited for them in ambush!
Why is the cross blue? At that time, blue paint was the only color available to the faithful youth, left over from when the visionary Ivan’s father had painted his fence. The first Blue Cross stands on the left side. The second Blue Cross was erected on the right side in 1999 to provide more space for prayer gatherings, which have been open to the public since 1987.
