Vatican released century-old secret in year

In 2000, the Vatican released the long-guarded “third secret” of Fatima, which some believe predicts a global catastrophe before 2030. The secret originated from a series of visions reported by Sister Lucia Santos and her cousins in 1917, after being visited by the Virgin Mary. While the first two secrets, revealed in 1941, included visions of hell, World War II, and warnings about Russia abandoning Christianity, the third secret remained sealed until Pope John Paul II decided to disclose it at the start of the new millennium. The text described an angel with a flaming sword appearing to set the world on fire and a vision resembling an assassination attempt on a “Bishop dressed in white,” which some interpret as the 1981 attack on Pope John Paul II.

Although some see the secret as foretelling a global disaster, the Catholic Church does not officially endorse this interpretation, instead viewing it as a call for prayer, repentance, and conversion. The secrets of Fatima were initially thought to signal a warning lasting 100 years, ending in 2017, but some extend this timeline to around 2029. Despite fears surrounding the prophecy, the Church emphasizes that these messages are spiritual rather than apocalyptic.