Our Lady of Fatima and Portugal: The Land of Holy Mary

by guest writer, Robert Beaurivage

What makes the Story of Fatima so fascinating and endearing, and a powerful teaching tool? It is because Fatima is a story, and a true story. Why is that?

A real story gives us a world to explore, rather than a path through it. A real story puts us in touch with persons, with a drama, and examples of truth and heroism. The facts it contains are not just formulae, equations and propositions. They make us care.  This is why God reveals His Word in a Story—The Greatest Story Ever Told. The Bible is a true story, the story of Salvation History. The Divine Wisdom—that is, Jesus Christ—used stories in teaching the Gospel.  Fatima itself is, above all, a story but it is not a parable. In this history, we see the hand of God, as telling stories is His modus operandi.


The Fatima story did not begin on May 13, 1917, the date of the first apparition, and it is far from ending, even now.  The Fatima story, in a real sense, begins from all eternity, in the mind of God.  It appears in the dawn of creation, when God proclaims to the Serpent, called the devil and Satan, “She shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” (Gen.3:15).

The story of Fatima also appears, says Sr. Lucia, in the Gospel and the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation), Chapters 8 to 13.  Pope John Paul II invoked the powerful imagery of Apocalypse 12:1-4, applying it to Our Lady’s apparition there in his homily in Fatima on May 13, 2000:  “And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his head seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son.” In a later installment, we will explore Our Lady as the Woman of Revelation, clothed with the sun. Today, we begin to explore the Fatima Story with a look at Portugal, the Land of Holy Mary.

As one becomes more familiar with the Fatima story, one gets the sense that every detail is providential, instructive and prophetic.  Our Lady chose to appear in a nation, a region and a village that was imbued with Catholic culture.  She chose to come to a Catholic village in the hillsides of Portugal, rather than the sophisticated atmosphere of the big city. In the Divine Providence, Our Lord chose to manifest Himself first to the shepherds as they watched their flock in Bethlehem, Our Lady chose to manifest herself to the little shepherd children of Fatima.

The children of Fatima played, laughed and danced like children everywhere.  Their lives revolved around the Church, her festivals, her truths, and her culture.  Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, as many young children of the region, were charged with the care of sheep. Jacinta, in particular, loved to sing. Lucia was an intelligent girl and a natural leader. Francisco, a thoughtful and quiet young boy would play the flute while Jacinta and Lucia sang. Sr. Lucia, many years later recalled the songs they sang: “We loved to sing too. Interspersed among popular songs—of which, alas! We knew quite a number.” Among the favorites Lucia mentioned was Salve Nobre Padroeira. It sings of the protection of the Virgin Mary as the patroness of Her people of predilection, the little nation of Portugal.

“Hail, O noble Patron

Of the people whom You protect,

Of the people chosen among all others,

As the people of the Lord!

O Thou, glory of our land,

Whom You have saved a thousand times!

As long as the Portuguese people exist

You will always be their love!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNVXV6wi4Zk 

This popular Portuguese hymn, which the children sang often–a favorite of Jacinta–demonstrates the Portuguese devotion of centuries to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As Frère Michel points out, “in spite of conquest by foreigners and a more and more suffocating Masonic domination, [Portugal] had remained unshakably faithful to its Heavenly Patroness, until the eve of the great miracle of 1917.”

It is for good reason that Our Lady chose Portugal as the most important and most spectacular of her apparitions. Portugal had distinguished herself as no nation has, through a long, rich history of Consecration and faithful Devotion to the Mother of God. Long before Our Lady graced the Cova da Iria with her presence, Portugal was the “Land of Holy Mary.”

On August 13, 1385, on the eve of battle against the powerful Castilian forces, Blessed Dom Nuno Alvares Pereira, a figure long since revered by the Portuguese people, brought his troops to the plateau of Fatima. There, Alvares and his troops solemnly vowed that if the Blessed Virgin would give them the victory, he would build a great monastery in her honor and make a pilgrimage of thanksgiving to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Oliveira. Canon Barthas relates:

“On the next day, August 14, Vigil of the Assumption, the great victory of Aljubarrota assured the independence of the country for two centuries, and consolidated the foundation of the new dynasty. For Portugal, this victory could be compared to the deliverance of Orleans by Joan of Arc. Pope Boniface IX, in his bull of February 1391, did not hesitate to describe the victory as miraculous, given the crushing superiority of the Spanish forces.”

The king kept his promise. He and his knights marched on foot to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Oliveira: a distance of 150 miles.  The king constructed a church and splendid monastery, and called it Our Lady of Victory.

A few years later, on May 13, at the request of King João I, Pope Boniface IX ordered all Portuguese cathedrals dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Through the miraculous intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Portugal was delivered from the Castilian invasion, which marked the ascendancy of Portugal in international prominence, leading Crusades, great maritime achievements, and bringing the Gospel to the New World.  Portugal attributed its great success to its staunchly Catholic royalty, ruling under the protection of Our Lady, Queen of Portugal.

FATIMA AND THE CRUSADES 
Frère Michel, in his unparalleled three-volume work on Fatima, gives the following account:

“According to the words of an ancient ballad, Fatima owes its Arabic name to an episode in the reconquest of Portugal which took place in this era. Fatima, the daughter of a powerful Moslem prince, was captured by a Crusader, Gonçalo Hermingues. When the Christian knight asked the king for her hand in marriage, she converted and was baptized under the name Oureana, from which the village of Ourem took its name. ‘But the beautiful princess died young, and a heartbroken Don Gonçalo gave his life to God in the Cistercian abbey of Alcobaça.’ Not long after, the abbey founded a small priory in the neighbouring mountains; Brother Gonçalo was sent there and took with him the remains of his dear Fatima. The place took and kept her name.”

There are no coincidences with Heaven, particularly in regard to the Message of Fatima. With the Islamic incursion into Europe in our day, courtesy of the liberal European governments, difficulties are sure to come. Our Lady has promised an era of peace to the world, and no doubt this presages an eventual conversion of the Muslims to the One True Faith.  Various saints prophesied this, and the symbolism of the name “Fatima” seems to anticipate it.

CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE
In 1646, Portugal once more reclaimed her national independence from Spain, and John IV ascended the throne on December 1.  Eight days later, on December 8, Portugal consecrated herself to the Immaculate Conception and the restoration of the monarchy. Spain fought on in a protracted battle. Portugal won a continual string of victories, which was a remarkable feat for little Portugal, with an underfunded military against powerful Spain—a clear sign of Our Lady’s continual protection. 

By this solemn act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception, Portugal, faithful to its own tradition, once more distinguished herself as the “Land of Holy Mary.”  We can easily see why Our Lady has chosen little Portugal for her great message to the World, and the greatest miracle since the Holy Ghost descended upon the Church on Pentecost Sunday, prophesied in St. John’s Apocalypse.  Portugal dedicated itself to the Immaculate Conception, two-hundred years before Blessed Pope Pius IX infallibly defined it! 

Frère Michel recounts in part this admirable vow: “And if anyone dares to attempt anything against our promise, oath and vassalage, we will consider him from this moment as no longer belonging to the nation and we wish him to be driven from the kingdom; and if he is king (which may God avert), may the divine malediction and ours fall on him and may he no longer be counted among our descendants; we vow that he be cast out and stripped of the throne by the same God who gave us the kingdom and raised us up to the royal dignity.”

Furthermore, the King commanded that an inscription should be engraved in marble or some other stone above the gates of towns, recalling this oath of the King and the Cortes in honor of the Mother of God, “preserved from original sin.”

THE 1931 CONSECRATION OF PORTUGAL:
A FORESHADOWING OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE IMMACULATE 
Many people are not aware that Our Lady already gave the world a glimpse, a prelude, of what the Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart will be like. She did this in Portugal after the Portuguese bishops consecrated that nation by name to the Immaculate Heart, on May 13, 1931.

Our Lady used Portugal to demonstrate on a national level what She will do worldwide when the Pope, in union with the world’s bishops, consecrates Russia to Her Immaculate Heart.

There was a striking Catholic resurgence—a dramatic increase in priestly and religious vocations, the number of religious almost quadrupled in ten years , and a vast renewal of Christian life among the laity as well.

Shortly after the 1931 Consecration, a Catholic leader in Portugal ascended to power, Antonio Salazar, who inaugurated a Catholic, counter-revolutionary program. He strove to create, as much as possible, a Catholic social order wherein the laws of government and social institutions harmonize with the law of Christ, His Gospel and His Church. 

There was the two-fold miracle of peace as a result of the Consecration. Portugal was preserved from the Communist terror, especially from the Spanish Civil War, which was raging next door. Portugal was also preserved from the devastation of World War II.

This Catholic Renaissance was of such a magnitude that, in 1942, the bishops of Portugal declared in a collective Pastoral Letter: “Anybody who would have closed his eyes twenty-five years ago and opened them now would no longer recognize Portugal, so vast is the transformation worked by the modest and invisible factor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima. Really, Our Lady wishes to save Portugal.” 

Let us recognize the fact: No other nation exist whose very foundation is so closely linked with the cult and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Our Lady of Fatima gives her solemn pledge of love and assistance to little Portugal as a reward for Portugal’s faithfulness to Our Lady. She tells the seers: In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved, etc. This appears at the beginning of the Third Secret, which we know speaks of apostasy infiltrating the human element of the Church.

Portugal receives Our Lady’s assurance of her protection in these troubling times. This fortunate nation has the assurance of Blessed Mary that she will preserve them during this trial. Frère Michel rightly proclaims: “For if the text of the solemn vow always to defend the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was wiped off the gates of the towns by the liberal government of the nineteenth century or the sectarian freemasons of the revolution of 1910, the Virgin Mary did not forget it, and it is Her ‘most faithful nation’ that She chose to manifest to the world the mercy of Her Immaculate Heart. To this nation it was promised, in the midst of the great trial to come, to preserve intact all the dogmas of the faith.”


Sources
—Sister Maria Lucia of the Immaculate Heart. Fatima in Lucia's Own Words: The Memoirs of Sister Lucia, the Last Fatima Visionary [KIC. Kindle Edition, June 3, 2015]
—Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité. The Whole Truth About Fatima, Volume I: Science and the Facts [Translated by John Collorafi, 1983]; and Volume III, The Secret and the Church [Immaculate Heart Publications, Fort Erie, Ontario, 1989]

Two Things to Know about the Collegial Consecration

 From time to time, we hear claims that it is no use to do anything now about the Fatima Virgin’s requests (i.e., commands) to the Pope. Specifically, what is really meant is this: Cease asking for the collegial consecration of Russia (to which is automatically attached the papal promulgation of the Five First Saturdays devotion). Just give up.


I’m sure most of us have heard every excuse for this view, but there are two that keep coming up: Some are convinced the current Pope won’t do anything; others believe the shocking claim of a few Fatima organizations that it’s “too late” (but, hey, we can still reform ourselves and hope for the best). What you need to know is this: The latter claim is a monstrous hybrid-distortion of two different quotes—


—Our Lord said to Lucia: “Like the Kings of France, they did not wish to heed My request. They will repent and do it, but it will be late.” He also said: “Pray much for the Holy Father. He will do it, but it will be late.” [Emphasis added.]


—In a famous interview, Sr. Lucia said to Fr. Fuentes, in part:

“Father, we should not wait for an appeal to the world to come from Rome on the part of the Holy Father, to do penance. Nor should we wait for the call to penance to come from our bishops in our diocese, nor from the religious congregations. No! Our Lord has already very often used these means, and the world has not paid attention. That is why now, it is necessary for each one of us to begin to reform himself spiritually. Each person must not only save his own soul but also help to save all the souls that God has placed on our path."


“The devil does all in his power to distract us and to take away from us the love for prayer; we shall be saved together or we shall be damned together." [Emphasis added.]


Now, with the election of a new Pope, Lucia said of the collegial consecration of RUSSIA: “It is the will of God that the request be renewed with the Holy See.”


Two things to keep in mind:


1) Our Lord Himself said that it will be late (but never did He say “too late”). We don’t know with certainty which Pope will do as Our Lady commanded. We can never say that it cannot be a current Pope.


2) We must do our part, because this affects every soul in the world. As Luca said, “we will be saved together or we will be damned together.” She was referring to the current chastisement, which began decades ago and is reaching its apex.


Don’t despair. Keep confidence in God and in His Mother’s promise but remember their specific warnings, too. We accept that it is God’s will that we respectfully ask each Pope to lead and command the exact conditions for the collegial consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And we will renew the request, with the current Pope or any following Pope, until it is answered as it should be.

Benedict XVI or Sodano, Third Secret or World Order?

Yes, during his homily yesterday, Cardinal Angelo Sodano did say “world order” (“ordine mondiale”). To be just, Sodano did not say “new world order.”  Even more astonishing is the news that Benedict XVI said that the Third Secret is spoken.

Did that get your attention? Multo bene, because it’s true. The former pope did say that the Third Secret is spoken.  Does Sodano’s choice of the phrase “world order” remotely approach the magnitude of Benedict XVI revelation that the Third Secret is spoken? Similar to what happened today with Sodano, a glitch occurred after Benedict XVI uttered a few very important words that were either mistranslated or overlooked. In Sodano’s case, he did say “world order” but those same words do not appear in the official text released to the media.

The opposite happened with Benedict XVI. Speaking in Italian during an in-flight interview, he willingly chose to answer certain questions about the Third Secret of Fatima. His response survived “as is” and his words were published in Italy’s daily newspaper, Corriere della Sera, on May 11, 2010. With the media, one or two choice words can be mistakenly (or conveniently) changed, mis-translated (if they are not deleted), and/or appear (or not) in an official text. And sometimes, the whole story is published.

A similar thing occurred on March 25, 1984 when Pope John Paul II consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and then spontaneously abandoned his prepared text and suddenly prayed aloud, “Enlighten especially the peoples of which You Yourself are awaiting our consecration and confiding.” That was Pope John Paul II’s indirect way of publicly acknowledging he had not specifically consecrated Russia, per the Fatima Virgin’s request. The next day (March 26, 1984) L’Osservatore Romano published the pope’s surprising addition. So did Avvenire, the Italian bishops’ newspaper, only it translated the pope’s additional words as “those peoples for whom You Yourself are awaiting our act of consecration and entrusting.” As for the rest of the media, the mainstream either ignored the Pope’s addition or didn’t comment on it.

To return to the Third Secret and what Benedict XVI actually said (in Italian) on May 10, 2010:  The English translations I read did not “quite” match each other. So I searched for the original Italian article, referring to an Italian-English dictionary when I couldn’t believe what I was reading. After I translated, I wanted to be certain, so I contacted a few people who can fluently read and speak Tuscano. They verified both what I had detected and my translation, especially the phrase “si parla, si vede.”

Still, I wondered, “How did no one else catch this?” Perhaps it is because the media zoomed in and then latched onto other things the Pope said about the sin within the Church. So I scoured the net, and what I found were repeats of the same mis-translations!  

 

After waiting another week, I decided to publish my findings on this blog, Pope Benedict on the Third Secret: “It is Spoken.” (The latter article also includes my observations on the pattern of the Great Secret). While emailing a news release to certain media outlets (which ultimately was ignored), I spoke of my discovery with Mr. John Vennari at Catholic Family News. The end result was that I revised and expanded my original article for my July 2010 "Secrets of the Catholic City" column in Catholic Family News, slightly altering the title to:  Pope Benedict XVI Reveals: The Third Secret of Fatima is Spoken.

However, it is almost three years since Benedict said those three little words which change the history of the Third Secret debate. Yes, even a few words are important and the former Pope did say the Third Secret is spoken. As of this date, the entire world knows that the cardinals are gathered in conclave to elect a new pope,  but imagine the media reaction if, by every means possible, the following words were disseminated throughout Rome:  “Benedict XVI says Third Secret is Spoken.” For the sake of the Church and of the world, those three words remain the most important news of this century, and they are not getting the attention they deserve.  

 

When a Pope Flees Rome: Fatima & Other Prophecies

Benedict XVI’s resignation and the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope deserves attention of the Catholic kind, issuing from prayer, study, and action - as opposed to the (usual) yellow journalism that blows everything out of proportion. When we consider the Pope's selection of words that he - with full freedom" did "renounce" the ministry of the Bishop of Rome (etc.) - we can only take him at his word. We may or may not agree that a Pope "should" resign when he no longer feels up to the task. For now, that is a topic I will leave to other Catholic writers. Perhaps it is my practical Italian side but, in my view, the deed is done and now the Church needs a new and very holy pope.

And so, I again return to "Petrus Romanus,” Fatima and the Third Secret Vision which describes a mysterious "bishop dressed in white.” May we also keep in mind that the apparitions of the Virgin of Fatima (approved by the Church as worthy of belief) offer to mankind highly efficacious spiritual solutions which the Malachy prophecies do not?

Simply stated, Our Lady of Fatima asked for the following: Worldwide devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, papal promulgation of the Five First Saturdays of Reparation, the public dissemination of the Third Secret Text, and the collegial consecration of Russia (and Russia alone) to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Individual Catholics can and do respond to other Fatima requests (daily Rosary, daily duty offered in penance and for the conversion of sinners, the wearing of the Brown Scapular, conscientiously working not to offend the Lord our God any longer, and taking part in First Saturday devotions where they might be offered, or otherwise trying to privately make the intentions when the public intentions of required Confession, Holy Mass, Rosary, and 15 additional minutes on the 15 Rosary mysteries of the Redemption) . However, only a Pope can take action to fulfill the other requests of the Fatima Virgin.

In my first article on Petrus Romanus, I wrote about the most famous (and controversial) prophecies which allegedly predict a line of popes. The list was supposedly written by St. Malachy of Ireland (1094 A.D. - 1148 A.D.). The popes, listed by attributes (not by name) are said to be the “last” popes - either in historical time or the end of a certain period of time. The main problem is a question of validity, since the Malachy prophecies were supposedly "lost" for a few centuries, only to be discovered in the 16th century.

It was then that Arnold de Wyon (also spelled "Wion") claimed to have found the prophecies and published them in a very large book known as the "Lignum Vitae," which translates from Latin to English as "Ironwood Life." However, another version of the story says the prophecies were written by someone else (presumably Wyon) who gave the credit to the respected but deceased Malachy.  Another problem arises when it is claimed that St. Bernard, a good friend of St. Malachy's and in whose arms the saint died, never made any mention of Malachy’s papal prophecies. (Incidentally, there are other prophecies of St. Malachy which are not contested as truly his.)

In another of my recent articles,  I shared a partial list of the popes (as they appear in one book of prophecy), so I won’t repeat them here.  Instead, I'll refer only to the last two mentioned - "Gloria Olivae" (Glory of the Olive) and "Petrus Romanus" (Peter the Roman).

Long before Benedict XVI became pope, it seems that many among the Benedictines believed that "Gloria Olivae" would come from their order or somehow represent their order. Benedict XVI was not a Benedictine; he was and is an academic. As it turns out, Benedict XVI chose his papal name in honor of Pope Benedict XV (who reigned immediately after Pope St. Pius X, ascending the papal throne in 1914 and ruling during World War I) and St. Benedict of Nursia, who was founder of the Benedictines.

Interestingly enough, the Benedictine crest bears an olive branch, which is the symbol of a peace offering.  Furthermore, it is said that St. Benedict of Nursa prophesied that, shortly before the world's end, the Olivetans would lead the Catholic Church. (Technically, an Olivetan – an “olive branch” - refers to a member of the Benedictines, but some think it could also mean all those who are the spiritual children of St. Benedict. If that is true, it is then surmised that it is possible that Benedict XVI could be considered an Olivetan.)

How do some think that Benedict XVI fulfills the alleged prophecy that he is/was "the Glory of the Olive”? One could point to the act of justice which he made on behalf of the Tridentine liturgy, especially when Benedict XVI coolly stated in his Moto Propio of July 7, 2007 that it had never been “juridically abrogated.”  Certainly, this one act has done much for the Church, although it cannot be denied that access to the Tridentine Rite is still not universal, as it should be. He also extended the olive branch of peace to the SSPX, lifting the excommunications of the four living bishops (and so it follows that the SSPX should not be accused of schism, especially by those who speak of the proper and due filial obedience to the Holy Father).

In the Malachy prophecy, Petrus Romanus (in Latin, Peter the Roman) then follows Glory of the Olive: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people." (Some versions add the word "Finis" - i.e., "The End." This addition is also questioned – was it added simply to indicate the end of the prophecy or the end of time? Or was it added by an early printer who published the papal prophecies? Nobody knows.)

While we Catholics should be earnestly praying for a deeply holy Pope's election, it seems that conjecture of Petrus Roman’s actual identity is still arousing curiosity. For now, let's discuss a generous number of "private" prophecies that describe events surrounding a future pope (who might be Peter the Roman and/or which also may refer to “a bishop dressed in white,” as described in the Third Secret Vision).

“Everywhere there is war! Peoples and nations are pitted against each other. War, war, war! Civil and foreign wars! Mourning and death everywhere! Famine over the whole world. Will Lutetius [Paris] be destroyed? Why, O Lord, dost Thou not stop all this with Thy arm? Must also the elements be the instrument of Thy wrath? Enough, O Lord, enough! The cities are destroyed, the natural elements are set loose, the earthquakes are everywhere. But mercy, mercy for Rome! But Thou hearest not my entreaties, and Rome also collapses in the tumult. And I see the king of Rome with his Cross and his tiara, shaking the dust off his shoes, and hastening in his flight to other shores. Thy Church, O Lord, is torn apart by her own children. One camp is faithful to the fleeing Pontiff, the other is subject to the new government of Rome which has broken the Tiara. But almighty God will, in His mercy, put an end to this confusion and a new age will begin. Then, said the Spirit, this is the beginning of the End of Time.” (The source of this prophecy is unknown, but there exist many manuscript copies of it dating to the late fifth century, A.D.)

St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098 A.D. - 1179 A.D.)

St. Hildegard was "officially" canonized during Benedict XVI's papacy. (She was also proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, joining three other women who are  canonized saints and also Doctors of the Church - St. Catherine of Siena, St. Terese of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux, commonly known as "The Little Flower of Jesus.") Coincidentally, St. Hildegard was a member of the (womens’) order of Benedictines. A very gifted woman, she was a healer and a prophetess. Now, since canonizations are not supposed to be an arbitrary process (the Church doesn't "make" saints like an auto factory "makes" cars!), it's intriguing to know that, in the centuries since her death, she was always considered a saint (and usually called one). However, and as already mentioned, only in the past year was she canonized - by Pope Benedict XVI.

Recently, it was said that Benedict XVI "turned to the writings of the 12th century visionary with her sharp critique of clergy and the church [sic] during her own 12th century milieu as a contemporary diagnosis for the sins of its priests in the global sex scandal."   In other words, St. Hildegard (like St. Catherine of Siena) was no coward and so she did not hesitate to openly correct the clergy when they deserved it.  In one of her  prophecies, St. Hildegard stated:

"The time is coming when princes and peoples will renounce the authority of Rome. Individual countries will prefer their own Church rulers to the Pope. The German Empire will be divided. Church property will be secularized. Priests will be persecuted. After the birth of Anti-Christ, heretics will preach their false doctrines undisturbed, resulting in Christians having doubts about their Holy Catholic Faith." (Did anyone else catch that last part? St. Hildegard implicitly stated that Christians are those who adhere to the Holy Catholic Faith.)

She also said, "Toward the end of the world, mankind will be purified by sufferings. This will be true especially of the clergy, who will be robbed of all property...When the clergy has adopted a simple manner of living, conditions will improve."

Now, onto other prophecies about a future pope, the dangers to the entire Church, and related subjects.

Abbot Werdin of Otranto (died 1279 A.D.)

“The great monarch and the great Pope will precede the Antichrist. The nations will be at war for four years and a great part of the world will be destroyed. The Pope will go over the sea carrying the sign of Redemption on his forehead. The great Monarch will come to restore peace and the Pope will share in the victory.”

Brother John of the Cleft Rock (1340 A.D.)

"Toward the end of the world, the tyrants and the hostile people will suddenly rob the prelates and clergy of the Church of all their possessions and grievously afflict and martyr them. The ones who heap the most abuse upon them will be held in high esteem. The clergy cannot escape these persecutions, but because of them all servants of the Church will be forced to lead an apostolic life. At that time the Pope, with the cardinals, will have to flee Rome under trying circumstances to a place where he will be unknown. He will die a cruel death in exile. The sufferings of the Church will be much greater than at any previous time in history…God will raise a holy Pope over whom the Angels will rejoice. Enlightened by God, this man will reconstruct almost the entire world through his holiness."

Blessed Tomasuccio de Foligno (1319 -1377 A.D.)

"One from beyond the mountains shall become the Vicar of God. Religious and clerics shall take part in this change. Outside the true path, there will be only disreputable men; I shrug my shoulders when the Barque of Peter is in danger and there is no one to lend it help... The schismatic shall fall into the scorn of the Italian faithful... By about twelve years shall the millennium have passed when the resplendent mantle of legitimate power shall emerge from the shadows where it was being kept by the schism. And beyond harm from the one who is blocking the door of salvation, for his deceitful schism shall have come to an end. And the Mass of the faithful shall attach itself to the worthy Shepherd, who shall extricate each one from error and restore to the Church its beauty. He shall renew it."

St. John Capestran (died in 1456 A.D.)

"The Tree shall give forth its fruits, but the destroying beast shall devour them." (Supposedly "From the Half Moon" in the St. Malachy prophesy, allegedly denoting Pope John Paul the First, who died within a month of his pontificate.)

"The brightness of the exposed countenance shall be lifted, and the faces of the proud shall fall before the face of the oppressor." (Supposedly "The Glory of the Olive")

"There shall be signs of the sun and moon when there shall be created a man stronger than any prince, and he shall renew the face of the Church. At this time, Anti-Christ shall have been trodden under foot and all the world shall enjoy the faith and peace of the Most High." (Supposedly "Peter the Roman")

Nicholas of Fluh (died in 1487 A.D.)

"The Church will sink still deeper until she will at last seem to be extinguished, and the succession of Peter and the other Apostles to have expired. After that, she will be victoriously exalted in the sight of all doubters." He (along with Dionysius Ryckel) also foresaw that "the Church will be punished because the majority of Her members - high and low - will become so perverted."

Michel de Nostredame – aka Michael of Our Lady, “Nostradamus” (16^th century):

“For seven days, the great star shall be seen,
As if two Suns in the sky should appear.
The big Mastiff (Islamic or Arab powers) shall be howling all night
When the Pontiff shall go into exile.”

Another translation of the above prophecy is rendered:

“The great star will burn for seven days,
The cloud will cause two suns to appear.
The Mastiff will be howling all night
When the Great Pontiff will change country.”

 

Helen Wallraff (died in 1801 A.D.)

"Someday a Pope will flee from Rome in company of only four cardinals and come to Koeln [Cologne]." [Coincidentally, World Youth Day 2005 took place in Cologne, in which Benedict XVI participated. During that same visit to Cologne, he also visited a Jewish synagogue. It was his first visit to his native Germany in many, many years. The prophecy above mentions that a Pope will some day flee to a place where he is unknown. Is it possible that the citizens of Cologne would not recognize the Pope, whoever he may be? One way or the other, it is difficult to answer that question with certainty.]

Venerable Anna Katerina Emmerich (1774 A.D. – 1824 A.D.)

On May 13, 1820 (Take note of the date – 97 years before the first Fatima apparition, to the day!): “I saw also the relationship between the two popes…I saw how baleful would be the consequences of this false church.” [Catholics know there cannot be two popes. What is meant by the relationship between the two popes? Was Venerable Anna Katerina seeing a vision of a reigning pope and a retired, living pope? And what does she mean by “this false church?”] Of this false church, she said: “I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city [presumably, the city of Rome]. The local clergy grew lukewarm, and I saw a great darkness…Then, the vision seemed to extend on every side. Whole Catholic communities were oppressed, harassed, confined, and deprived of their freedom. I saw many churches close down, great miseries everywhere, wars and bloodshed. A wild and ignorant mob took to violent action. But it did not last long.”

“Once more, I saw the Church of Peter was undermined by a plan evolved by the secret sect, while storms were damaging it. [Remember Benedict XVI’s comments about steering the Barque of Peter through tempests?] But I saw also that help was coming when distress had reached its peak. I saw again the Blessed Virgin ascend on the Church and spread her mantle. I saw a Pope who was at once gentle, and very firm…I saw a great renewal, and the Church rose high in the sky.”

In August, 1820, Venerable Emmerich saw a vision that brings to mind a vision later seen by Blessed Jacinta of Fatima in 1917 (which,  at the appropriate point, I will later insert):

“I see the Holy Father in great anguish. He lives in a palace other than before and he admits only a limited number of friends near him. I fear that the Holy Father will suffer many more trials before he dies. I see that the false church of darkness is making progress, and I see the dreadful influence it has on the people. The Holy Father and the Church are verily in so great a distress that one must implore God day and night.”

In other visions from August to October, 1820, Ven. Emmerich said: “I see more martyrs, not now but in the future…I saw the secret sect relentlessly  undermining the great Church. All over the world, good and devout people, especially the clergy, were harassed, oppressed, and put into prison. I had the feeling that they would become martyrs some day. Then I saw an apparition of the Mother of God [could this be a reference to the future apparitions at Fatima?], and she said the tribulation would be very great…The Church is in great danger. We must pray so that the Pope may not leave Rome; countless evils would result if he did. In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only. “ [At Fatima, Our Lady introduced the Third Secret with these words: “In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved, etc.” This warning strongly indicates that only in parts of Portugal will “the dogma” of the Faith remain. That is, while parts of one nation in the entire world will remain faithful, it is also likely that it will also be preserved in “some places” like individual homes.]

In 1822, Ven. Emmerich also stated: “I saw the battle also. The enemies were far more numerous, but the small army of the faithful cut down whole rows [of enemy soldiers]. During the battle, the Blessed Virgin stood on a hill, wearing a suit of armor. It was a terrible war. At the end, only a few fighters for the just cause survived, but the victory was theirs.”

Blessed Anna Marie Taigi (19^th century wife, mother, and mystic)

Blessed Taigi foretold the three days of world-wide darkness, which is one of two great punishments that will affect the whole earth.  What is especially interesting is that all of the following quotes were included in the documents of her Beatification:

“God will send two punishments: one will be in the form of wars, revolutions and other evils, it shall originate on earth. The other will be sent from Heaven. There shall come over the whole earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing can be seen, and the air will be laden with pestilence which will claim mainly, but not only, the enemies of religion.”

“It will be impossible to use any man-made lighting during this darkness, except blessed candles. He, who out of curiosity, opens his window to look out, or leaves his home, will fall dead on the spot. During these three days, people should remain in their homes, pray the Rosary, and beg God for mercy.”

“All the enemies of the Church, whether known or unknown, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of a few who will be converted. The air shall be infected by demons who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms. “

“Religion shall be persecuted, and priests will be massacred. Churches will be closed, but only for a short time. The Holy Father shall be obliged to leave Rome.”

She then spoke of events in France that presage the increasing chastisements: “France shall fall into a frightful anarchy. The French shall have a desperate civil war in the course of which even old men will take up arms. The political parties, having exhausted their blood and their rage without any satisfactory settlement, shall agree to the last extremity to have recourse to the Holy See. Then the Pope shall send to France a special legate…In consequence of the information received, His Holiness himself shall nominate a most Christian King for the government of France.”

“After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity then will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth.” [Since Blessed Anna Marie foresaw that those days will “claim mainly, but not only, the enemies of religion,” the inference here is that the pope who appointed a King for France will have died, possibly a victim of the Three Day’s darkness. Perhaps he resigns but it is more likely he died. The question is:  Why is there not a conclave of cardinals to elect the new Pope? Are they also dead? This last sentence also implies the literal, heavenly assistance of the two great saints, martyred in Rome – Peter, the first pope, and Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, whose souls will appear to resemble their bodies.]

Blessed Anna Marie concludes this prophecy by saying, “Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church.” [It seems, then, that the earth will be renewed spiritually and materially, for many prophecies of the chastisement known as the Three Day’s darkness declare that dead bodies will outnumber the living and the world itself will be almost rent asunder by earthquakes, catastrophic flooding of oceans, seas, and rivers, and “tempests” – like tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis.]

Bishop George M. Wittman (19^th century)

“Very sad times are coming for the Holy Church of Jesus Christ. The Passion of Our Lord will be renewed in a most painful manner in the Church and in her supreme Head [the Pope]. Brutal hands will be laid upon his person. Secret societies will work great ruin, and they will exercise a great financial power.”

Blessed Jacinta of Fatima in 1917:

“I saw the Holy Father in a very big house, kneeling by a table, with his heard buried in his hands, and he was weeping. Outside the house, there were many people. Some of them were throwing stones, others were cursing him and using bad language. Poor Holy Father, we must pray very much for him.”

Sometime later in the same year, Jacinta said to Lucia and her brother, Francisco: “Can’t you see all those highways and roads and fields full of people, who are crying with hunger and have nothing to eat? And the Holy Father in a church praying before the Immaculate Heart of Mary? And so many people praying with him? A few days afterward, she asked Lucia: Can I say that I saw the Holy Father and all those people?” Lucia promptly answered: “No. Don’t you see that’s part of the secret? If you do, they’ll find out right away!”

 

Shortly before her death, Blessed Jacinta said : “If men will repent, God will pardon them, but if they do not amend their lives, there will come upon the earth the most terrible chastisement ever known.”

Pope St. Pius X (died 1914 A.D.)

In 1909: “What I have seen is terrifying! Will I be the one, or will it be a successor? What is certain is that the Pope will leave Rome and, in leaving the Vatican, he will have to pass over the dead bodies of his priests!”

 

In 1914, he again had a vision: ‘I saw one of my successors by name fleeing over the corpses of his brethren. He will flee to a place for a short respite where he is unknown; but he himself will die a cruel death.’

 

“In the Third Secret Vision, the pope walks ‘half trembling and with halting step,’ indicating advanced age. As for Pope St. Pius X’s vision, it may be that a future pope will take the name of Pius, but there is another consideration, which may or may not be of significance: Pope St. Pius X’s baptismal name was Giuseppe Sarto; in Italian, Giuseppe means Joseph – the baptismal name of Pope Benedict XVI.’” (Fatima and the Great Et Cetera: Traces ofthe Third Secret Message)

 

Sister Elena Aiello (20^th century, died in June 1961)

The foundress of the Calabrian nuns and a stigmatic, Sister Aiello was told by the Virgin Mary:  

“Russia will march upon all the nations of Europe, particularly Italy, and will raise her flag over the dome of St. Peter’s. Italy will be severely tried by a great revolution and Rome will be purified in blood for its many sins, especially those of impurity. The flock is about to be dispersed and the Pope will suffer greatly.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary also spoke to Sr. Elena of the Three Day’s Darkness, which other prophecies indicate shall arrive toward the end of a period of great tribulation and is sent by God to end the man-made chaos on earth. If these "private" prophecies (and others mentioned here) are true, it seems that the Three Days' Darkness will come before the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart and the promised triumph of the same.

On a Good Friday, the Virgin said: “Clouds with lightning rays of fire and a tempest of fire will pass over the whole world and the punishment will be the most terrible ever known in the history of mankind. It will last 70 hours. The wicked will be crushed and eliminated. Many will be lost because they stubbornly remained in their sins. Then they will feel the force of light over darkness. The hours of darkness are near…some nations will be purified while others will disappear entirely.” [Let us also recall that Our Lady of Fatima foretold, if Her requests are not heeded, the “annihilation of nations.”]

Our Lady of Akita (October 13, 1973; 56^th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun):

In Akita, Japan, a wooden statue of the Virgin “perspired,” wept tears, and also issued blood from its right hand – a total of 101 times.  (Akita was investigated and approved as “worthy of belief.”) Sister Agnes Sasaga, a deaf nun, interiorly heard the Virgin Mary speak to her on many occasions. In October of 1973, the Virgin of Akita said:

“As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Eternal Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have been seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful.”

And so we return to the most important Marian apparition in the world’s history – to Fatima and its Great Secret, which opened with a particular Vision and closed with yet  another Vision. The last and Third Secret of Fatima includes a vision which begins with “an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire.”  The Church and the world still await the publication of the Virgin’s words that describe this mystifying Vision.

In the Great Secret of Fatima, Our Lady foretold many terrible things, all of which were conditional upon the collective response of the Church to Her requests.  All of the warnings have come to pass except the “annihilation of nations” and the other chastisements which the Third Secret Vision portends. And why has this happened? Because like the ancients of Old Testament times, not enough people are remaining faithful to God and to the one true Church which He established.

“After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'. And we saw in an immense light that is God: ‘something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it' a Bishop dressed in White ‘we had the impression that it was the Holy Father'. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God. “

 

“This is the third part of the Message of Our Lady…It will be very sad for everyone, not one person will rejoice at all if beforehand the world does not pray and do penance,” said Sr. Lucia, the eldest Fatima visionary, in the famous 1957 Fr. Fuentes interview. She also spoke of Our Lady’s sadness, “because no one has paid any attention to her Message, neither the good nor the bad. The good continue on their way but without giving any important to Her Message. The bad, not seeing the punishment of God actually falling upon them, continue their life of sin without even caring about the Message.”

“But believe me, Father, God will chastise the world and this will be in a terrible manner. The punishment from Heaven is imminent.”

-Copyright 2013 by Marianna C. Bartold. All Rights Reserved World-wide.