Queen Virgin Mary & Child Jesus Christ of the Holy Family

1. In Study of Mariology & Christianity:
THE HOLY VIRGIN OF DUNIS
(“The Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God”)
“The Holy Virgin of Dunis” is a Marian title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary (the mother
of the Child Jesus) for the reported apparition to a poor peasant girl at the rural village
of Dunis (also pronounced as “Junis”), in Serbia (Eastern Europe).
According to legend, back in 1898, the sacred place was found by a little poor Serbian
peasant girl, named Milojka Jocić, that when she went to a spring to obtain clean river
waters, she saw a female figure illuminated by inexplicable light, and she realized that
she was the “Mother of God”, the Holy Virgin Mary who appeared before her.
The Virgin Mary helped the young poor peasant girl to get some clean water, and she
recommended that she wash herself with it in order to heal, and she ordered her to
announce to the rural village that the holy water would heal the sick people, and that the
faithful people must build a Marian Shrine Church in honor of the Virgin.
THE MARIAN SHRINE:
The locals took the poor peasant girl Milojka's Marian message seriously, and the rural
people built a small Marian chapel shrine (as big as a bedroom with the picture of the
Virgin Mary & Child Jesus), all made of wooden planks, while hundreds to thousands of
pilgrims began to visit the shrine to pray.
The Marian shrine was then called “The Church of the Holy Virgin”, and it became
known for many miraculous cures; however, in 1921, after 23 years, the laborious men
had the wooden church demolished and a modest brick church building was built.
In 1960, after 62 years after the apparition, the Serbian Orthodox Church decided that
the Marian Shrine of “The Church of the Holy Virgin” would become a monastery for
sister nuns under the Orthodox priests, with headquarters at the Serbian capital of
Belgrade, under the “Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople & New Rome” (in
Istanbul, Turkey).
In 1977, a large-scale Serbian Orthodox stone church building, which was also called
“The Shroud of the Holy Virgin”, was built near the original Marian shrine apparition site,
and the church housed the new “Theotokos” (“Mother of God”) icons produced by other
monasteries; while the sister nuns guard both the stone church and the Marian shrine.
“Đunis Monastery”, with the “Church of Holy Virgin”, is then an Serbian Orthodox
Christian monastery for sister nuns in Đunis Village; while in 2020, the rural population
has only been around 812 people; but annually, tens of thousands of pilgrims gather in
prayer in such humble Marian shrine convent.

2. One of the sisters of the monastery came first to seek help for healing, and when she
received it from the “Mother of God”, and was healed, she decided to stay in the holy
place for the rest of her life; while travels of many barren women from around the world
also take the holy water, and later on became mothers of many children.
THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY:
Every year, on October 14, on the eve of the autumn feast of the “Intercession of the
Most Holy Mother of God”, several thousand believers (of up to 20,000 devotees) attend
an all-day vigil, and pray to the “Virgin Mary & the Child Jesus”, while pilgrims hold lit
candles that miraculously turn night into day with incredible peace and quiet.
Even during the cold night at Fall Season, the rivers of believers - throughout Serbia
and from abroad - flow towards the monastery’s Marian shrine church on the evening of
the holiday.
Then the people, quietly with full respect, exchange stories about the Virgin Mary’s
Marian shrine and miraculous healings, kissing icons, and praying to the “Mother of
God”, whose holy presence is heartfelt.
Then people are then welcomed by the Bishop who serve the evening vigil as the
faithful people offer prayers all night long, while chanting and singing of hymns were
fulfilled.
Then the thousands of pilgrims wait to take turns to pray before the holy icons in the
church, and in the morning the people would attend the priest’s Liturgy for the “Holy
Mystery of the Eucharist”, including the “Anointing of the Sick” sacrament by applying
consecrated oil through which God's grace works for the healing of the sick.
On the festive morning, the Holy Hierarch's Liturgy was served by Bishop Jovan with
numerous priests, with the prayerful participation of the faithful; and in the sermon, with
congratulations to the head of the monastery family, the nun Mary and her sisterhood,
he called on all the faithful to offer the prayer: "Holy Mother of God, save us!"
Ever since it was first uttered a long time ago, until today, it is written that with this
request for help, protection and consolation from the “Mother of God”, once and for all,
the people’s spiritual destiny has been decided in the past.
While one “Lady” grandmother, with tears in her eyes, gently said: “My son, say this:
this ‘World’ does not exist. I can't tell you what a beauty this is. I'm not sorry to pass
away tomorrow.”
THE HEALING PILGRIMAGE:

3. Then the Marian devotees pray at the nearby Marian Shrine as the original apparition
site where the Virgin Mary provided a healing natural spring for the miracles of faith
where “heaven” is near.
While the “Holy Water” is for everyone, the Marian devotees believe that it’s miraculous
and immeasurably precious as the pilgrims patiently take turns bathing, drinking and put
holy water in containers to bring home.
The miraculous events in the Marian Shrine of “The Church of the Holy Virgin” are well
remembered; for example, when a grandmother brought her helpless grandson to have
a prayer read to him, the child then spoke; while those in wheelchairs also came, and a
little later they were able to stand.
In 2001, the church was consecrated by the Patriarch as offered to the “Feast of the
Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God”; while the church building is not as large as
basilicas & cathedrals, but the Orthodox Christians say that it’s “one of the largest
sanctuaries” since the laity include themselves as “brothers & sisters” of the Church.
People who visit the Marian shrine expect miracles for the healing of souls, the blessing
of common families, and mercy from the Virgin Mary that she herself promised to a poor
peasant girl, whom she miraculously appeared at the rural village that those who need
refuge will receive it under “The Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God”.
(researched)