What is the REAL Third Secret of Fatima?

The third secret of Fatima remains one of the most intriguing and controversial religious mysteries of the 20th century. I’ve studied numerous documents and testimonies about this prophetic message, which consists of just 25 lines written on a single sheet of paper by Sister Lucia dos Santos following a visit from Our Lady on January 2, 1944. Our Lady asks it to be revealed to the world no later than 1960. When later asked why the people had to wait for the Third Secret to be revealed in 1960, Sister Lucy states:

“Because the Blessed Virgin wishes it so,” and “It will be clearer then.”

The Third Secret is later delivered in person by Sister Lucy to her confessor bishop who in turn delivers it to the Bishop of Fatima, José da Silva, on June 17.

On January 3, 1949, Bishop da Silva is photographed in Life Magazine along with the 25 line text Third Secret sealed in an envelope awaiting to be read,

What is the real third secret of Fatima? This question has captivated believers and scholars alike since 1917, when three shepherd children received mysterious visions in Portugal. While the Vatican officially released its interpretation in 2000, speculation continues to mount as to whether the 2000 version is authentic.

In this comprehensive analysis, we’ll examine the historical context of the Fatima apparitions, explore the Vatican’s official disclosure, and investigate claims by those who have seen and read the Third Secret that contradict the 2000 version.

What happened in 1917 at Fatima Portugal?

The events that unfolded in Fatima, Portugal in 1917 took place against a backdrop of global conflict. The First World War was well underway and the world would receive a message of hope, warning and a reality check. These apparitions, especially the July 13 apparition would be know as the Three Secrets of Fatima, whilst this is one message divided into three. The third part of the entire message would be well known as the Third Secret of Fatima and remained sealed until 2000, or did it?

At the heart of the Fatima story are three young Portuguese shepherds: Lucia dos Santos (age 10) and her cousins Francisco Marto (age 9) and Jacinta Marto (age 7). These children, born into devout Catholic families, reported a series of six apparitions occurring monthly from May 13 to October 13, 1917.

Lucia would later become Sister Lucia, a Carmelite nun who lived until 2005, making her the sole custodian of the third secret for many years. Her testimony about the apparitions and subsequent revelations formed the foundation of what we know about the third secret of Fatima. According to Vatican documents, Sister Lucia wrote the famous third secret in January 1944. The text itself is remarkably brief—just 25 lines written on a single sheet of paper.

What makes the third secret particularly intriguing is the limited number of people who have actually read it. According to historical records, only a select few individuals were granted permission to read the original document, including various Popes (John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, and John Paul II) and certain Vatican officials with appropriate clearance including the controversial Priest, Father Malachi Martin.

I have written a detailed article on the events, apparitions and messages at Fatima from May 13 to October 13, 1917, should you wish to read. Click Here.

However, apart from the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917, the July 13, 1917 message is critical for the entire world. Taken from Sister Lucia’s Third Memoir, the main message is re-produced below:

“… As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands once more, as she had done during the two previous months. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. 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 huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. (It must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me). The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so sadly:

“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 Pius Xl. 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 will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved; etc… Do not tell this to anybody. Francisco, yes, you may tell him.

“When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.””

The entire message is divided into three parts – the children are shown the reality of Hell; the end of the war, a warning of a greater war and the role of Russia; and then the “In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved; etc..’ which forms the commencement of the Third part, known as the Third Secret of Fatima.

What are the first two parts of the message of Fatima?

Before diving into the mystery of the third secret of Fatima, it’s essential to understand the first two parts (secrets) that Sister Lucia revealed much earlier. These initial prophecies laid the groundwork for the intense speculation that would surround the final, more cryptic revelation.

1) The Children are shown Hell and the Souls that are in danger of going there

The first secret of Fatima presented a terrifying glimpse into the afterlife that profoundly affected the three young shepherds. On July 13, 1917, the children reported that Our Lady opened her hands, revealing a hell. (see above as Sister Lucia described Hell from her Third Memoir)

The children saw souls falling into hell “like snowflakes,” accompanied by shrieks of pain and despair. According to Sister Lucia’s account, the children would have died of fright had they not been promised heaven. This first secret served as a stark warning about the eternal consequences of sin and the reality of hell.

Moreover, the vision included an urgent call to prayer and sacrifice to save souls. Our Lady told the children that many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for them. This message of spiritual urgency created the foundation upon which the subsequent secrets would build.

2) Prediction about Russia and World War II

The second secret of Fatima contained prophetic elements that many accurately predicted world events in the decades that followed. In this revelation, Our Lady warned that World War I would end soon, yet if people did not cease offending God, a worse conflict would erupt during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI.

Furthermore, this secret explicitly mentioned Russia. Our Lady predicted that Russia would “spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church.” Many interpret this as a clear reference to the rise of communism following the Russian Revolution, which indeed occurred shortly after the Fatima apparitions.

The second secret included a request for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, promising that if this were done, Russia would be converted and a period of peace would follow. Otherwise, Russia would “spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions.”

In contrast to these first two publicly revealed secrets, the third secret remained shrouded in mystery for decades. While the first two secrets were disclosed by Sister Lucia in her memoirs published in the 1940s, the third secret—written on a single sheet of paper containing just 25 lines of text and sealed in an envelope.

Who has read the Third Secret of Fatima?

This third secret was read by a select few individuals over the decades:

• Pope John XXIII first read it in 1959 but chose not to reveal it

• Pope Paul VI read it in 1965 and maintained its secrecy
• Pope John Paul II accessed it after the assassination attempt against him in 1981
• Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) read it as part of his role as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Father Malachi Martin.

The physical document itself has been described as a handwritten letter by Sister Lucia, containing exactly 25 lines of text on a single sheet of paper. This brevity has led many to question whether the full third secret of Fatima was actually revealed when the Vatican finally published its contents in 2000, or even revealed at all. I hold the later view, that the Third Secret of Fatima remains hidden and that what was read in 2000 by the Vatican was not the Third Secret of Fatima.

What Is the Third Secret of Fatima?

Official Vatican Release

After decades of secrecy and speculation, the Vatican revealed a version of the third secret of Fatima in June 2000. This revelation came 83 years after the original apparitions and 56 years after Sister Lucia wrote the message on a single sheet of paper. The official release marked a pivotal moment in the unfolding story of what many consider one of the Catholic Church’s most significant prophetic messages.

The 2000 publication by Cardinal Ratzinger

On June 26, 2000, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) presented the official Vatican interpretation of the third secret of Fatima. As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger was tasked with explaining this long-guarded message to the world. His theological commentary accompanied the publication of Sister Lucia’s text.

The timing of this release raised questions among some believers. For many years, Pope John Paul II had refrained from publishing the secret, despite mounting pressure. As mentioned in Vatican documents, previous pontiffs “diplomatically preferred to postpone publication so as not to encourage the world power of Communism to make certain moves.” Consequently, some skeptics questioned whether diplomatic concerns might have influenced the content of what was ultimately revealed.

In his commentary, Cardinal Ratzinger interpreted the vision as symbolic rather than literal, suggesting it depicted the Church’s struggles throughout the 20th century. Nonetheless, one cannot overlook that the release occurred after the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War—a timing that struck many as strategic rather than coincidental.

Below is what the Vatican released in June 2000:

“The third part of the secret revealed at the Cova da Iria-Fatima, 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.”

The interpretation offered that the vision concerned attacks on the Church from outside; the suffering of the Pope; and the attempted assassination attempt of Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981. The message is described as symbolic.

However, what was revealed is not consistent with reported claims from those who as seen and read the Third Secret of Fatima; and secondly, the version revealed by the Vatican in 2000 does not flow from the previous two secrets or parts; thirdly, the Third Secret of Fatima is written on a single sheet of paper of 25 lines, but this was on four sheets of paper. Whilst it is claimed that Sister Lucia had approved the 2000 version, but dis she really?

What are some the evidences that place into question the authenticity of the Vatican 2000 version?

A) Physical description of the original document

The physical characteristics of the third secret document are precisely documented. When examining what is the third secret of Fatima, the material evidence itself provides intriguing insights. The message exists as a handwritten letter composed by Sister Lucia dos Santos on January 3, 1944.

The document is remarkably brief—consisting of exactly 25 lines of text on a single sheet of paper. The original was stored in the Vatican archives in a sealed envelope with the inscription “By express order of Our Lady, this envelope can only be opened in 1960 by the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon or the Bishop of Leiria.”

Despite these instructions, the envelope remained sealed beyond 1960. Throughout the decades, the document was preserved with extraordinary care, reflecting its perceived importance. The third secret was kept in a special archive of the Holy Office, indicating the highest level of confidentiality within the Vatican’s document classification system.

B) Sister Lucia’s handwritten text: 25 lines on a single sheet

The brevity of Sister Lucia’s text—just 25 lines on a single sheet—stands in stark contrast to the decades of speculation it generated. This discrepancy between the document’s modest size and its monumental impact has led many to ask: what is the real third secret of Fatima?

Throughout the years, only a select group of individuals were granted permission to read the original document:

• Pope John XXIII read it in 1959 but chose not to reveal it

• Pope Paul VI examined it in 1965 and maintained its secrecy

• Pope John Paul I reportedly read it during his brief pontificate

• Pope John Paul II accessed it after the 1981 assassination attempt against him

• Cardinal Ratzinger read it as part of his official duties

Sister Lucia herself maintained that she had fully revealed the message as instructed by “Our Lady.” Yet, doubts persisted about whether the complete third secret had been disclosed. These doubts stemmed partially from statements by Father Malachi Martin, who had reportedly read the secret and suggested it contained more alarming prophecies than what was eventually published.

The condensed nature of the text—fitting on a single sheet—raises practical questions about how much prophetic information could actually be contained within such limited space. At the same time, this very limitation has paradoxically amplified speculation about what might be the real third secret of Fatima.

Who were the figures that read the Third Secret?

Throughout the decades since Sister Lucia wrote down the third secret of Fatima in 1944, remarkably few individuals have actually seen the mysterious 25-line text. The document’s restricted access has only intensified speculation about what is the real third secret of Fatima and whether all its contents have truly been revealed.

The circle of papal readers began with Pope John XXIII, who first read the third secret in 1959. After careful consideration, he made the significant decision not to reveal it to the world, reportedly stating that this message “does not concern my pontificate.” His reluctance to disclose the contents established a precedent of papal discretion that would continue for decades.

Pope Paul VI subsequently examined the document in 1965, choosing likewise to maintain its secrecy. Historical accounts suggest that his reaction was similarly reserved, opting to keep the third secret of Fatima sealed despite growing public curiosity about its contents.

Although his pontificate lasted merely 33 days, evidence indicates that Pope John Paul I also accessed the sealed envelope during his brief tenure. The brevity of his papacy, however, left little opportunity for him to determine how to address the message.

Pope John Paul II brought renewed significance to the third secret after surviving an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981—the anniversary date of the first Fatima apparition. As referenced in Vatican documents, John Paul II later explained why his predecessors had kept the secret confidential: “My predecessors in the Petrine Office diplomatically preferred to postpone publication so as not to encourage the world power of Communism to make certain moves.”.

These Popes chose not to reveal the contents of the Third Secret of Fatima in defiance of the request made by the Queen of Heaven.

Beyond the pontiffs, a select group of Vatican officials received permission to read the third secret:

• Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), who eventually published the official interpretation

• Cardinal Angelo Sodano, then Vatican Secretary of State

• Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who interviewed Sister Lucia about the document

• The Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon (mentioned in the envelope’s instructions)

• The Bishop of Leiria (also specified in the envelope’s instructions)

• Father Malachi Martin. served at the Vatican and Secretary to Cardinal Augustin Bea during the preparations for Vatican Council II.

  
  Father Malachi Martin, a former Jesuit professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, read the third secret while serving as an aide to Cardinal Augustin Bea. Father Martin’s subsequent hints about the content being more alarming than officially acknowledged fueled theories about “what is the real third secret of Fatima”.

What did Sister Lucia write?

As the sole surviving visionary for most of the 20th century, Sister Lucia’s testimony about the document carried unique authority. Initially, she struggled with writing down the third secret, reportedly requiring a special intervention from the Blessed Virgin to overcome her hesitation. On January 3, 1944, she finally recorded the message. What could it be that was so disturbing to Sister Lucia that she could not write the Third Secret down? Certainly what was revealed by the Vatican in 2000 does not have such shocking details that would warrant hesitation?

Sister Lucia consistently maintained that her handwritten document contained the complete third secret.

The physical characteristics of the document itself are precisely documented—handwritten by Sister Lucia on a single sheet containing exactly 25 lines of text. This brevity surprised many when finally revealed, given decades of speculation about catastrophic prophecies. The envelope containing the secret carried the explicit instruction that it should be opened “only in 1960” by the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon or the Bishop of Leiria.

What are some of the errors in understanding the entire message of July 13, 1917?

Despite the Vatican’s official disclosure in 2000, serious doubts persist about whether the full third secret of Fatima has truly been revealed to the world or whether the Third Secret has been revealed at all, hence remaining hidden.

Is the 2000 Vatican incomplete?

Some Catholic commentators would incorrectly assume that the Vatican version of the Third Secret as revealed in 2000 as being incomplete, that the words of the Blessed Mother remain hidden. Further, Catholic commentators assume that the Three messages of Fatima contain a vision then an explanation. I beg to differ on this view. Firstly, the first two parts of the message of July 13, 1917 are not “visions”. The children actually saw Hell, not a vision of Hell. Our Lady showed them Hell and explained the consequences of sin. The second part, was also not a vision but a detailed prophecy of events that will occur in the future including Our Lady’s future request for a special devotion to Her Immaculate Heart and Consecration of Russia. There are not Part A -Vision and Part B – explanatory notes. Subsequently, the Third Part of the message of July 13, 1917, seems to stray from this formula, as revealed by the Vatican in 2000. In fact, Father Malachi Martin is a key witness to the contents of the Third Secret of Fatima, and his limited revelations (as he had taken an oath) are inconsistent with the 2000 Vatican version of the Third Secret of Fatima.

What can Father Malachi Martin tell us about the Third Secret of Fatima?

Throughout the 1990s, former Vatican insider Father Malachi Martin made a series of provocative claims about the third secret of Fatima. As a former Jesuit professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute who reportedly read the secret while serving as an aide to Cardinal Augustin Bea, Martin’s statements carried significant weight.

Father Malachi Martin read the Third Secret in February 1960 and took an oath.

(Listen below to what Father Malachi Martin says in the Seventh Interview with Art Bell)

“This will shock, …, this will fill the confessionals on a Saturday evenings;… this will fill the Cathedrals, Basilicas and Churches with worshippers kneeling down striking their breasts…”

Also a fax comes through Perth Australia. Listen closely to the final 30 seconds of the above voice clip.

In an interview with Art Bell, Fr Malachi Martin suggested that the Third Secret “.. is an exact description of what is now happening and apparently what is going to happen shortly, but in cold hard terms. No use of exaggeration, no use of adjectives or adverbs… It’s a blanket statement, a very factual statement …. a frightening document.” (Interview 6).

Further, he goes on to say:

“… not as part of that one sheet of paper. The text is very dry and specific..”

Undeniably, Fr Martin’s credibility rests on his proximity to Vatican power centers during crucial periods. Everything that Father Martin states in these series of interviews with Art Bell on the Third Secret contradicts the 2000 Vatican version. Further, Father Malachi Martin confirms that a future pope will under the control of Satan.

The Third Secret of remains a secret even till this day and at the publication of this article. What is the actual Third Secret of Fatima? We can speculate but we maybe have lived through or living the horrific message or there maybe some future event that will be catastrophic for humanity and the Church. Certainly, disobeying Heaven’s request is key to the destiny that the Popes have set for humanity. May God have mercy of their souls and ours. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.