Today we explore the apocalyptic content of the three secrets of Fatima.

The three secrets revealed by Our Lady at Fatima are a pivotal part of 20th-century Catholic history and theology. In 1917, three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal—Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto received apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary over six months from May 13 till October 13 1917. The Blessed Mother revealed 3 secrets.

1. First Secret: Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear and terror.
2. Second Secret: You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the Pontificate of Pope Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.
3. Third Secret: The third secret was initially kept secret for decades but was finally revealed in the year 2000. The third secret remained a mystery for decades, containing a vision of a bishop in white and apocalyptic imagery. It was finally revealed in 2000.

The third part of the secret revealed at the Cova da Iria-Fátima, on 13 July 1917. I write in obedience to you, my God, who command me to do so through his Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and through your Most Holy Mother and mine. 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. Tuy-3-1-1944

4 Lessons from Fatima Secrets

Let us now turn our attention to the apocalyptic themes woven into the fabric of these secrets.

1. The Reality of Hell: In the first secret, the vision of Hell serves as a stark reminder of the apocalyptic consequences of unrepentant sin. Our Lady’s message to the children was clear: sin has eternal ramifications, and the souls of the unrepentant risk damnation. The vision of Hell was accompanied by a call to repentance and conversion, echoing the prophetic voices of the Old Testament. This theme is quintessentially apocalyptic, as it underscores the urgency of turning away from sin and embracing God’s mercy in preparation for the final judgment.
2. The Consecration of Russia: The second secret, with its plea for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, carries eschatological significance. It points to the role of Russia in future events and highlights the need for the Church to engage in spiritual warfare against the forces of evil, a theme often associated with apocalyptic literature.
3. The Vision of the Bishop in White: The third secret contains enigmatic and apocalyptic elements that have sparked fervent speculation. The vision of a bishop in white being shot can be interpreted as an allegory for the suffering and trials that the Church, particularly the papacy, will endure in the last days. It also underscores the need for vigilance and prayer in the face of impending tribulations.
4. The Role of the Immaculate Heart: The significance of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as emphasized in the second secret, cannot be overstated. It represents a call to entrust ourselves to the maternal care of Our Lady and her intercession, especially on the First Saturdays, and with the Rosary and Scapular.