The consecration of Russia

There has also been controversy over the question of the conversion of Russia. It is claimed that the collegial consecration made by Pope St. John Paul II in 1984 was not the one asked for by Our Lady because he did not explicitly mention Russia.

But according to the then Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, Alberto Cosme do Amaral, Pope St. John Paul II paused during the ceremony, and quietly included Russia in the consecration. Sr Lucia later confirmed in writing that the consecration had been properly done, in the way that Our Lady wanted, saying that when people asked her, she said: “ ‘Yes.’ From that time, it is made!” And there are several further instances of her stating that the consecration had been carried out correctly.

THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA

On 13th July 1917, Our Lady announced: “I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart”. This was fulfilled when Sr Lucia saw a vision of the Most Holy Trinity with Our Lady, on 13 June 1929, as she was making a Holy Hour in the convent chapel at Tuy in Spain. Lucia tells us that: “Suddenly the whole chapel was illumined by a supernatural light, and above the altar appeared a Cross of light, reaching to the ceiling.

"In a brighter light on the upper part of the Cross, could be seen the face of a man and his body as far as the waist; upon his breast was a dove of light; nailed to the Cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, I could see a chalice and a large Host suspended in the air, onto which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus Crucified and from the wound in His side.

"These drops ran down the host and into the chalice. Beneath the right arm of the Cross was Our Lady and in her hand was her Immaculate Heart. (It was Our Lady of Fatima, with her Immaculate Heart in her left hand, without sword or roses, but with a crown of thorns and flames). Under the left arm of the Cross, large letters, as if of crystal clear water which ran down onto the altar, formed these words: ‘Grace and Mercy’.

I understood that it was the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity which was shown to me … Our Lady then said to me:

“The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the Bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the Justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray.”

1942 - Pius XII was the first pope to consecrate the world in October 1942
Pius XII was the first pope to consecrate the world, in October 1942, and then Russia, in July 1952, to Mary’s immaculate Heart. However, St John Paul II became the first Pope to fulfil Our Lady’s request for the consecration of Russia, on 25th March 1984, which led seven years later to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union.
1984 - St John Paul II's consecration of Russia accepted in Heaven
St John Paul II became the first Pope to fulfil Our Lady’s request for the consecration of Russia, on 25th March 1984, which led seven years later to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union

St John Paul II’s consecration was accepted in heaven, as Sr Lucia subsequently testified on several occasions, because the Pope was “in union with all the bishops of the world”, exactly as Our Lady had requested. On that occasion, all the bishops of the world had received the text of the Pope’s act of consecration in advance, together with his invitation for them to join with him in making the act.

Following this consecration, Sr. Lucia was visited by the Apostolic Nuncio, and she confirmed that the consecration of Russia had indeed been accomplished, and that God had accepted it.

Within one years of the pope’s consecration, changes began peacefully within the Soviet Union. In Russia, on the death of Chernenko, on 11 March 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Communist Party. In 1986, Gorbachev initiated the programmes of perestroika (restructuring), and glasnost (openness), which led to the process of democratisation and the thaw in attitudes towards religion in 1987. He became President in 1988.

Following this consecration, Sr. Lucia was visited by the Apostolic Nuncio, and she confirmed that the consecration of Russia had indeed been accomplished, and that God had accepted it.

Within one years of the pope’s consecration, changes began peacefully within the Soviet Union. In Russia, on the death of Chernenko, on 11 March 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Communist Party. In 1986, Gorbachev initiated the programmes of perestroika (restructuring), and glasnost (openness), which led to the process of democratisation and the thaw in attitudes towards religion in 1987. He became President in 1988.
1989 - Poland, Hungary,Berlin and the Soviet Union - key movements
Around 15 August 1989, the Solemnity of the Assumption, Poland moved towards a government led by non-Communists.

On 7 October 1989, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, the Hungarian Communist Party voted to transform itself into a form of European democratic socialism.

On 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. The fall of the “Iron Curtain” was an event that many in the West never expected to see in their lifetime.

On 1 December 1989, at his historic meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, Gorbachev promised that a Law on the Freedom of Conscience would soon be adopted in the Soviet Union. The Holy Father referred to this meeting as a “sign of the times … a sign that is rich in promise.” The Pope said “our meeting had been prepared by Providence”.
1990 - Further developments - Soviet Union and Poland
On 15 March 1990, the Vatican established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

In May 1990, Bishop Amaral of Leiria-Fatima said: “Everything leads us to think that the consecration requested by Our Lady has been done.”

On 11 November 1990, when Bishop Angelo Kin of the Korean Episcopal Conference said to the Pope that it was thanks to him that Poland had been freed from Communism, Pope John Paul II said: “No, not me, but by the works of the Blessed Virgin, in line with her affirmations at Fatima.”
1991- The Soviet Union becomes Russia freeing 15 republics
On 8 December 1991, the feast of the Immaculate Conception marked the start of the Commonwealth of Republics, the end of the Soviet Union. Twelve days later, the newly named President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, met with the Pope in Rome.

On Christmas Day, 1991, the Communist flag came down for the last time over the former Soviet Union and in Soviet embassies around the world, and the Russian parliament voted to change the country’s name to the Russian Federation, abbreviated simply as Russia. On December 30th, fifteen republics were freed from Soviet domination as the Warsaw Pact ended.

The following are the most significant consequences that have flowed from St John Paul II’s fulfilment of Our Lady’s request for the consecration of Russia:

– the cessation of the Marxist-atheist persecution of religion and the consequent freedom for people of all faiths to practise their religion, and for the Russian Orthodox Church to undertake a massive programme of reconstruction and refurbishment of churches that had been vandalised and destroyed.

– the lifting of the very real threat of a war with nuclear armaments provoked by the massive Soviet military machine, and the ensuing peace that has prevailed in Europe.

– the freedom of former Soviet countries in Eastern Europe to join the European Union.

The supreme sign that all this extraordinary change was a result of the unseen intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady of Fatima is surely the fact that the world’s second greatest military superpower at that time—which had President Reagan of the USA and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain seriously concerned about the West’s capability to defend itself from attack—decreed itself out of existence, by a process that was almost entirely peaceful, and which arose from within. No other reason has hitherto been advanced to explain how such an unprecedented change could have come about.

Sr Lucia on the consecration of Russia – Statements by Sr Lucia that Pope John Paul II’s act of consecration of Russia, on 25 March 1984, was “accepted by heaven”, and confirmed by an apparition of the Virgin.

The Impact of the Consecration

These massive changes in Russia and Eastern Europe support the view that the consecration of 1984 was carried out largely in accordance with Our Lady’s wishes.

The Blessed Virgin promised the conversion of Russia if her wishes were complied with, but she did not say that this would happen overnight. And the conversion of Russia was also linked with the Five First Saturdays devotion by Our Lady, and so we can expect it to be retarded until this devotion is more widespread.

The conversion of the Roman Empire took centuries to fully accomplish, and only after three hundred years of intense persecution for the early Church. If it took that long to convert the Roman Empire then there is a need to be cautious about demanding quick results with regard to Russia’s conversion.

“The Holy Father has performed the Consecration—it is done. He did it in such a way that we are able to recognise it because he has fulfilled the missing conditions. Those conditions for Russia’s consecration had almost been fulfilled by Pius XII who had made the consecration of the world and in that consecration we can already see that he had the intention of consecrating Russia when he spoke of those people who most need the Consecration. “Our Lady said that Russia will spread her errors throughout the world causing wars and persecutions of the Church. Many will be martyred, the peoples/populations will be tormented.

Some nations will be destroyed. “In the end, after all this the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me—but she did not say how —and Russia will be converted and an era of peace will be granted, but this was Our Lady’s way of referring to the wars and persecutions and mistakes that atheistic communism was causing throughout the world.” “The word conversion means a change – it does not mean that evil will disappear, but that there is a conversion from evil to good. That is what the word means.”

1986 - Russia
In 1986, Gorbachev initiated the programmes of perestroika – restructuring— and glasnost — openness, which led to the process of democratisation and the thaw in attitudes towards religion in 1987.
August 15, 1989 - Poland
Around August 15, 1989, the Solemnity of the Assumption, Poland moved towards a government led by non-Communists.
October 7, 1989 - Hungary
On October 7, 1989, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, the Hungarian Communist Party voted to transform itself into a form of European democratic socialism.
November 9, 1989 - Germany
On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. The fall of the "Iron Curtain" was an event that many of us never expected to see in our lifetime.
December 1, 1989, Russia
On December 1, 1989, Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II and promised religious freedom. The Holy Father referred to this meeting as a "sign of the times ... a sign that is rich in promise." The Pope said “our meeting had been prepared by Providence”.
March 15, 1990 - Russia
On March 15, 1990, the Vatican established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.
May, 1990 - Fatima
In May 1990, Bishop Amaral of Leiria-Fatima said: "Everything leads us to think that the consecration requested by Our Lady has been done."
November 11, 1990 - Poland
On November 11, 1990, when congratulated for Poland being freed from Communism, Pope John Paul ll said: "No, not me, but by the works of the Blessed Virgin, in line with her affirmations at Fatima."
December 8, 1991 - Russia
On December 8 1991, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, marked the start of the Commonwealth of Republics, the end of the Soviet Union. Twelve days later, the newly named President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, met with the Pope in Rome.
Christmas Day, 1991 - Russia
On Christmas Day, 1991, the Communist flag came down for the last time over Russia. On December 30th, fifteen republics were freed from Soviet domination as the Warsaw Pact ended.

Regarding the Five First Saturdays devotion and its relationship with the Consecration of Russia, Sr. Lucia received a locution from Jesus on 29 May 1930, which she described in a letter to her spiritual director, Fr Gonsalves:

“If I am not mistaken, the Good Lord promises to make an end of the persecution in Russia, if the Holy Father condescends to make, and likewise ordains the Bishops of the Catholic world, to make a solemn and public act of reparation and consecration of Russia to the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In response to the end of this persecution, His Holiness is to promise to approve and recommend the practice of the already mentioned devotion of reparation.” [the Five First Saturdays]

The Collegial Consecration was done by Pope John Paul II in 1984 and did lead to the cessation of persecution in Russia (and Eastern Europe), but there has yet to be official Papal approval and recommendation of the Five First Saturdays devotion. Therefore this is something for which we should all pray.

But the fact that the persecution ceased in Russia and Easter Europe is an indication that the consecration has in fact been carried out correctly, despite assertions to the contrary.

Source: Fr. A.M. Martins, S.J. & Fr. Robert Fox, Documents on Fatima & The Memoirs of Sister Lucia, Fatima Family Apostolate, Alexandria, 1992, trans. of Novos Documentos de Fatima, Porto, 1984, page 243.

The Consecration of Russia