3. The third secret was known only to the three children. In 1943 it was written down and given to the Pope. There was a story that it was to be revealed to the world in 1960, at the discretion of the Pope. Consequently there was worldwide interest in the secret - many speculating that it contained news of a great war, or natural disaster, or even the end of the world. In 1960, Pope John XXIII read the message, sealed the envelope, and did not reveal any of the secret.
This brought a whole rash of cries from all over the world. "Why doesn't the Pope tell us the secret - is it just too horrible?" And further speculation arose - different people claiming that they had worked out what it was all about. I have two books, written at different periods by different people, both of whom were convinced that they had worked out what the secret was, and yet neither was correct.
In May 2000, Pope John Paul II finally announced to the world the third secret of the Fatima Apparitions. It was a strange vision which Lucia had had, concerning a man dressed in white, walking up a mountain surrounded by corpses, and buildings in ruin. At the top of the mountain the man is shot, and dies.
Angels come and sprinkle the blood of the martyrs on the souls as they arise towards heaven.
When the Pope first read the secret, he thought that it referred to him, as being the figure in white who was shot. (You may recall there was an assassination attempt on the Pope's life on 13th. May 1981.) But it appears that the secret when interpreted properly refers to all the Popes of the twentieth century, and to the troubled times through which the Church is travelling at the moment. Those who were expecting some prediction of the end of the world, or another great war, or some other natural disaster, would be disappointed. The secret ends on a hopeful note, with the angels gathering up the blood of the martyrs, and with it, giving life to the souls making their way to God.
BIBLIOGRAPHY-
Documents on Fatima and The Memoirs of Sister Lucia
1992 - Fatima Family Apostolate USA A Litany of Mary
Ann Ball - Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Huntington, Indiana USA Fatima - The Astonishing Truth
1993 - Frere Francois de Marie des Anges - Immaculate Heart Publications, PO Box 1028, Buffalo NY USA Blessed Art Thou
1984 - Richard J Beyer - Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA Dictionary of Mary
1985 Catholic Book Publishing Co NJ USA More About Fatima
1950 - Rev V. Montes de Oca CSSp - MH Gill and Son, 50 Upper O'Connell St, Dublin, Ireland Shrines of Our Lady
1998 - Peter Mullen - Butler and Tanner Ltd, Frome, Somerset, England Fatima in Lucia's Own Words
1989 - Postulation Centre, Fatima, Portugal Recent Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1952 - Stephen Breen - T and H Pty Ltd, 24 Jamison St., Sydney, Australia Jesus and Mary Call - Do You Hear?
Hampton Marian Centre, 261 Hampton St., Hampton, Vic. Australia
