JAKOV

From the "Lives of the Visionaries"
JAKOV COLO - Jakov is the youngest of the seers. He was born on March 6, 1971 in Bijakovici, and was only 10 years old when the apparitions started. His prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for the sick. Jakovs' mother Jaca, died on September 5th 1983 and it affected Jakov very deeply since he rarely saw his father who worked in Germany as many men did in those days with no jobs available in Medjugorje or the surrounding area.

He has had daily apparitions since June 25, 1981, and on September 12, 1998, Our Lady confided to him his 10th secret. Our Lady now appears to Jakov only once per year on Christmas Day. Our Lady literally raised Jakov since his mother died when he was so young. It was very difficult for him to accept that he would no longer see Our Lady every day. He wondered how he would continue, and struggled for months until he tells us that through prayer he realized that he was now like all of us who do not see Our Lady. He tells us that Our Lady is with each one of us always, and we can experience her in our hearts. Jakov lives in the parish of Medjugorje, is married and now has three children.

In the early years, the presence of the young fidgety boy among the group of seers is special in terms of the authenticity of the apparitions. It was highly improbable that he would come to church for two to three hours of prayer every single day, in winter as well as in summer, in bad weather as well as in good, and for well over three years, simply to make believe that he is seeing the Blessed Virgin.

Jakov: "From the time Our Lady first appeared to me, my life has entirely changed. Now, I pray more and go to Mass every evening. I try, more and more, to fulfill the messages that Our Lady gives us. I feel I'm closer to God now. I believe we have to pray that God's plans will be realized. I now want to live as a Christian. I begin the day with prayer, then go to school. when I get home, I help wherever necessary. To me, the Mass means an encounter with the living God. Our Lady always tells us to pray more."