Fatima for Today, The Urgent Marian Message of Hope

Though the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima took place over a century ago, her call to prayer and penance remains deeply relevant today. Delivered in 1917 to three Portuguese peasant children, her message offered a vital path toward the salvation of souls and world peace.

At the peak of the First World War, Our Lady warned of an even greater worldwide conflict, the destructive spread of Communism, and a terrible persecution of the Church. To prevent these tragedies, she called on humanity to repent of their sins, return to God, practice devotion to her Immaculate Heart, and perform a special consecration of Russia.

While much of her message was revealed early on, the third and final "secret"—a prophetic vision seen by the children—was kept hidden by the Vatican until 2000. Pope John Paul II read this secret while recovering from the 1981 assassination attempt. He believed the harrowing vision signified the immense sufferings the Church endured throughout the twentieth century.