Pope Francis gave a brief hint about his position on the suspected apparitions of the Madonna in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje ahead of a pending official statement from the Vatican.
During a morning homily, three days after making a trip to Saravejo, the Pope criticized members of the church who "are always seeking novelty in their Christian identities," according to Reuters.
"But where are the visionaries who tell us today about 'The letter that the Madonna will send tomorrow at 4 p.m.?' This isn't Christian identity," he said. "God's last word is called Jesus and nothing more."
The apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the Medjugorje shrine have been reported for quite some time, becoming prolific in 1981 when six children declared regular visions of the Virgin.
The Vatican has been cautious about calling the sightings authentic, unlike its stance on Fatima in Portugal or Lourdes in France, reported U.S. News. Even the local diocese in the area has been critical of the authenticity of the sightings.
The town has since become a major pilgrimage site, giving many of the faithful a new sense of spirituality and giving locals a much-needed steady source of income, according to Reuters.
In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI formed an international commission to study and investigate the authenticity of the sightings. Pope Francis stated that the commission's report has been taken up by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reported U.S. News.
The Vatican is set to release an official statement on the matter soon.
