Our Lady of Fatima: The prophecy that foretold WWII
Our Lady of Fatima refers to a series of apparitions reported by three children in 1917, which claimed to prophesise the start of WWII. Read on to find out more.
Image: Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Lisbon | stock.adobe.com
When it comes to significant occurrences in modern Catholic history, the World War II prophecy foretold by Our Lady Fatima is particularly noteworthy. The title refers to the Virgin Mary, and came about following the reports of a series of unusual apparitions. These apparitions appeared to three children in the Portuguese city of Fatima.
Join us here at Sky HISTORY as we dive deeper into the prophecies and warnings of Our Lady of Fatima, including the well-known Unknown Light prophecy.
What was Our Lady of Fatima?
As mentioned, Our Lady of Fatima refers to a Catholic title given to the Virgin Mary following several Marian apparitions. The apparitions were reported by three shepherd children. These children were Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto.
The children first reported seeing three apparitions of an Angel in Valinhos, a countryside area on the outskirts of Fatima, in spring 1916. They then reported even more apparitions of who they thought was the Virgin Mary beginning in May 1917. These sightings were in Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal.
While caring for the family sheep as usual, the children reportedly saw a dazzling figure of a lady dressed in white appearing above a bush. The children described her as 'a Lady all in white, more brilliant than the sun… indescribably beautiful.' From May to October in 1917, the children claimed that they had seen the apparition six times.
During this time, the apparitions are said to have shared three secrets with the children. These secrets were warnings of sorts regarding the state of the world, including a warning relating to World War II, which became particularly well known.
The Unknown Light
The World War II-related prophecy came about on 13th July 1917. The apparitions reportedly shared visions of hell with the children before sharing the following secret:
'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 reign of 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 sins, by means of war, famine, and persecutions against the Church and of the Holy Father.'
This warning was thought to be foreshadowing World War II, a conflict that became even more devastating than World War I (which was going on at the time).
Many believe that the prophecy came to fruition in 1938, a year before World War II began and a month and a half before Germany occupied Austria. Late at night on 25th and 26th January 1938, a huge geomagnetic storm lit up the skies.
This rare Aurora Borealis display was so large that it was seen all across Europe, but also in parts of North Africa and North America. The storm was said to have bathed the evening sky in a blood-red hue, with many likening it to a huge fire. Many feared it due to its intensity and vibrant colors, including white and green lights alongside the red glow. Some even thought it was the end of the world.
The storm aligned with the prophecy, including its occurrence during the reign of Pope Pius IX (which lasted from 1922 to 1939). Less than two months later, on 12th March 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria with the Anschluss.
World War II did not begin until September 1939, but Anschluss was a significant moment leading up to it. It was Nazi Germany’s first major expansion of territory and an aggressive way to show the shift in Hitler’s consolidation of power. The timing of the Anschluss with the geostorm was thought to have been the fulfillment of the prophecy by believers, despite happening 21 years after the children announced it.
The legacy of Our Lady of Fatima
The legacy of Our Lady of Fatima continues to this day, especially with The Chapel of Apparitions site. This site, located in Cova da Iria, was constructed in 1919. It marks the area where the children were said to have first seen the apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
The chapel is part of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, a highly popular pilgrimage destination that attracts around six million people a year. Whether you are a believer or not, there is no denying that Our Lady of Fatima is a significant event for the Catholic community, and continues to be so today.
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