Lord of the World (A Prophetic Novel)

From Wikipedia.com ...     

Lord of the World is a 1907 dystopian science fiction novel by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson that centers upon the reign of the Antichrist and the end of the world. It has been called prophetic by Dale Ahlquist, Joseph Pearce, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. 

Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, a former High Church Anglican Vicar, began writing Lord of the World two years after his conversion to Roman Catholicism rocked the Church of England in 1903.  

The youngest son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward White Benson, and the society hostess Mary Sidgwick Benson, Robert was descended from a very long line of Anglican clergymen. He had also read the litany at his father's 1896 funeral at Canterbury Cathedral and was widely expected to one day take his father's place as the most senior clergyman in the Anglican Communion. After a crisis of faith described in his 1913 memoir Confessions of a Convert, however, Benson was received into the Roman Catholic Church on September 11, 1903. 

According to Joseph Pearce, "The press made much of the story that the son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury had become a Catholic, and the revelation rocked the Anglican establishment in a way reminiscent of the days of the Oxford Movement and the conversion of Newman." 

The former Vicar found himself inundated with hate mail from Anglican clergy, men, women, and even children. Benson found himself accused of being "a deliberate traitor", "an infatuated fool", and of bringing dishonor upon his father's name and memory. Although he replied scrupulously to every letter, Benson was deeply hurt. He later wrote that he received considerable solace in the words that an Anglican Bishop had spoken to his mother, "Remember that he has followed his conscience after all, and what else could his father wish for him than that?" 

After his ordination as a Catholic priest at Rome in 1904, Fr. Benson had been assigned as a Catholic Chaplain at Cambridge University. It was during his stay at Cambridge Rectory that Lord of the World was conceived and written. 

Inception

French Utopian Socialist

Henri de Saint-Simon, c/1820.

According to his biographer Fr. Cyril Martindale, the idea of a novel about the Antichrist was first suggested to Fr. Benson by his friend and literary mentor Frederick Rolfe in December 1905. It was Rolfe who also introduced Mgr. Benson to the writings of the French Utopian Socialist Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon.  According to Fr. Martindale, as Benson read Saint-Simon's writings, "A vision of a dechristianised civilisation, sprung from the wrecking of the old régime, arose before him and he listened to Mr. Rolfe's suggestion that he should write a book on Antichrist." 

Writing during the pontificate of Pope Pius X and prior to the First World War, Monsignor Benson accurately predicted interstate highways, weapons of mass destruction, the use of aircraft to drop bombs on both military and civilian targets, and passenger air travel in advanced Zeppelins called "Volors". Writing in 1916, Fr. Martindale compared Mgr. Benson's ideas for future technology with those of legendary French science fiction novelist Jules Verne. 

However, Mgr. Benson also presumed the survival of European colonialism in Africa, the continued expansion of Imperial Japan, and that predominant travel would continue to be by railway. Like many other Catholics of the era in which he wrote, Monsignor Benson believed in Masonic conspiracy theories and shared the political and economic views of G. K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc. 

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In the article entitled, "Why Are 2 Different Popes Telling Us to Read Lord of the World?" by Colin O'Brien | Apr 08, 2016 , he stated:

"Pope Francis raised eyebrows in 2013 and again in 2015 when he recommended Robert Hugh Benson’s Lord of the World to the faithful as a book that depicts a “globalization of hegemonic uniformity.” Similarly, then-Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, referred to the Universalism depicted in Lord of the World in an address he gave in Milan in 1992."

Mr. O'Brien went on to expounded upon how the above mentioned book parallels with our world in the 21st century.

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Lord of the World Summary    

Ave Maria Press - Dec 21, 2016 

Robert Hugh Benson’s dystopian novel Lord of the World describes a future where faith in God and religion has been replaced by secular humanism.

Many Catholics have abandoned the faith and even priests have defected. Few religious enclaves are scattered throughout the globe, but they face the growing popularity of this new secular ideology. The leaders of the secular government see the Church as a blockade to progress and thus view it as an enemy.

The story follows Father Percy, one of the few remaining faithful. A pillar of faith in within the crumbling Church, he tries to bolster his fellow faithful Catholics but faces many obstacles, primarily the meteoric rise to power of the mysterious Julian Felsenburgh.

Promising peace and harmony in exchange for obedience, Felsenburgh quickly becomes a dominant figure in world politics. The crowds love him, but Percy remains cautious.

As Felsenburgh begins exercising his newfound power, his influence continues to spread; any resistors of this new rationalist regime are subject to torture and execution. Percy and the remaining faithful maintain their beliefs in the face of such peril, but their situation becomes increasingly dangerous.

As the Church continues to disintegrate around him, Percy too begins to rise to power as the new Pope. He struggles with how to face Felsenburgh, who has become ruler of the entire world. Percy and the remaining faithful gather in Rome to try and prevent an upcoming apocalypse at the hands of Felsenburgh. A climactic battle ensues between the two parties, which will have earth-shaking consequences.

Mary Magdalene Biography

The following article was obtained through Biography.com

Mary Magdalene Biography [Saint (d. 100)]
Updated: Aug. 12, 2019  

Original: Apr. 2, 2018

Mary Magdalene was a pivotal New Testament biblical figure whose role in Christianity's development continues to be discussed and debated.

Who Was Mary Magdalene?   

                  Mary Magdalene by Leonardo Da Vinci

Mary Magdalene was a figure in the Bible's New Testament who was one of Jesus's most loyal followers and is said to have been the first to witness his resurrection.

While the Western Christian Church portrayed her as a repentant sinner for centuries, newer research has disputed this interpretation, and the discovery of the Gnostic Gospels, including the Gospel of Mary, describes Mary as a reflective, wise spiritualist favored by Jesus.   

Mary Magdalene According to the Bible

One of Jesus’s most celebrated disciples, most of what is known about Mary Magdalene comes primarily from the New Testament Gospels. She is believed to have been of Jewish descent, though her culture and manners were that of a Gentile. Her name, “Magdalen,” comes from her birth town of Magdala.

The canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John place Mary as witness to Jesus’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The gospel references primarily speak only to her presence and rudimentary actions at these events; they don’t describe her personality, history or character. However, over the centuries, Western Christian doctrine, Renaissance art and literature and modern media have depicted Mary as a prostitute, love interest of Christ and even his wife.   

Mary Magdalene According to the Western Christian Church   

The notion of Mary Magdalene as a repentant sinner became the generally accepted view in Western Christianity as a result of a homily delivered by Pope Gregory I in the year, 591. He spoke highly of her devotion and love of Jesus, but also referred to her as the anonymous sinner with perfume in Luke’s Gospel (7:36-50) and as Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus. The pope also cited the Gospels of Luke (8:1-3) and Mark (16:9) which make a brief reference to Christ ridding Mary of “seven demons.” Pope Gregory surmised the seven demons as the seven deadly sins, thus making Mary not only guilty of lust, but pride and greed as well.

It’s important to note that this image is not accepted by Eastern Orthodox religion, which saw Mary Magdalene as only a devoted disciple of Christ. However, Mary as repentant sinner became solidified in Western medieval theology, with its emphasis on penitence, and flourished in Europe over the next fourteen hundred years. Western medieval and Renaissance Christian art usually depicted Mary dressed extravagantly, even suggestively, in stark contrast to the more modestly dressed women of the time. In some paintings, she is shown in the nude (most notably by the artist Titian), discretely covered by long blond hair.    

Revisionist History of Mary Magdalene   

This version of Mary Magdalene was challenged in 1518 by French humanist Jaques Laefevre d’Etaples, who argued against the conflation of the two Marys and the unnamed female sinner in Luke’s Gospel. This theory received some support but also much opposition, and in 1521 d’Etaples’s views were formally condemned by French theologians.  

In 1969, the General Roman Calendar put the matter of the composite Mary to rest when it identified the different dates for Mary, Bethany and the unidentified sinner in Luke’s gospel.   

Mary Magdalene according to the Gnostic Gospels

Beginning in 1896, fragmentary manuscripts known as the Gnostic Gospels were discovered by theologians and archaeologists. The Gospel of Mary, believed to have been written in the 3rd century, reveals a Mary Magdalene who had a special relationship with Jesus and possessed a deeper understanding of his teachings. The Gospel of Philip describes Mary’s relationship with Jesus as a partner, associate or companion. This has been interpreted to mean their relationship was intimate.

What of Mary’s life after Jesus? Today she is considered a saint by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches, though the interpretations of her persona differ. According to some historical sources, she accompanied St. John the Evangelist to the city of Ephesus, near modern Selcuk, Turkey, where she died and was buried. Other traditions describe her as evangelizing as far north as southern France, and Medieval legend recounts that she was John’s wife.   

Modern Interpretations

Mary Magdalene continues to be an object of fascination for both religious devotees and those in secular media. In Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel The Last Temptation of Christ, in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ, Mary is depicted as the repentant sinner. However, Dan Brown’s popular novel The Da Vinci Code portrays Mary in the manner she is represented in the Gnostic Gospels.

Mary's story was back in the spotlight during NBC's live adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar on Easter Sunday 2018, with Sara Bareilles inhabiting the role. Around that time, Mary Magdalene hit theaters, with Rooney Mara as a young version of the titular character who seeks to escape an arranged marriage, and Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus Christ.

What Happened to Those Biblical Artifacts?

Noah's Ark  

Probably the most mysterious of objects named in this list, Noah's Ark has produced many stories and locations of its final resting place. Yet, none of the locales have been 100% proven. The ark of Noah is a vessel in the Flood narrative of the Book of Genesis and repeated with variations in the Quran, where the vessel is referred to as Safina Nūḥ.

An unwarranted assumption prevails in our modern world relating to the landing spot of Noah’s ark.  Many theologians and historians are sure that Noah’s ark landed on the remote and inaccessible heights of Mount Ararat, a 17,000-foot volcanic mountain in modern-day Turkey. The Book of Genesis does not specifically say that the ark landed on Mount Ararat, but rather “on the mountains of Ararat” (Gen. 8:4), meaning on a mountain somewhere within this particular range of mountains.

The search for Noah's Ark has been a controversial subject for many centuries and will undoubtedly continue to be shrouded in mystery.

(Google Images: David Allen Deal) 

"Above left, we see Mount Ararat in modern-day Turkey, and get an idea how impractical it would have been to try land the ark of Noah on it. Above right, we see the mountain seventeen miles south of Mount Ararat where the ark actually first came to rest (arrow), and the impression it left when it slid down the mountain about 100 years later. At the top of the mountain, we see the escarpment cliffs which the “Epic of Gilgamesh” refers to as the “wall of heaven” ~ Robert Bowie Johnson 

Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant, also known as the Ark of the Testimony, and the Ark of God, was a gold-covered wooden chest described in the Book of Exodus as containing the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. According to various texts within the Hebrew Bible, it also contained Aaron's rod and a pot of manna. In the Christian New Testament, Hebrews 9:4 reads that "The ark of the covenant [was] covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tablets of the covenant."

The biblical Christian account relates that, approximately one year after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, the Ark was created according to the pattern given to Moses by God when the Israelites were encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai. The Ark, which was entrusted to the Tribe of Levi, is also mentioned in Tanakh, the Second Book of Maccabees and the Quran. According to Islamic tradition, Al-Jalalan states the relics in the Ark were the fragments of the two tablets, rods, robes, shoes, mitre (headgear) of Moses and the vase of manna. 

While there are various locations purported to house the Ark of the Covenant - such as being located in Africa and Europe - the holy relic has never been found or at least publicly declared.

Depiction of Ark of the Covenant (Google Images)

From Joshua passing the river Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant, 1800, by Benjamin West

The Staff of Moses

The Staff of Moses, mentioned in the Bible and Quran, was a walking stick used by Moses. According to the Book of Exodus in the Christian Bible, the staff was used to produce water from a rock, was transformed into a snake and back, and was used at the parting of the Red Sea. Whether or not Moses' staff was the same as that used by his brother Aaron (known as Aaron's rod, which was transformed into a serpent) has been debated by rabbinical scholars. The staff was purported to be placed inside the Ark of the Covenant.

There are many speculations about what has happened to Moses's staff.  The Midrash (a homiletic method of biblical exegesis) states that the staff was passed down from generation to generation and was in the possession of the Judean kings until the First Temple was destroyed. It is unknown what became of the staff after the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from the land.

Depiction of Moses holding the staff  (Google Images)

Treasures of the Second Temple

In 70 A.D., Jewish rebels, trying to free Israel from Roman rule, fought against the Roman army, but the rebels suffered a critical blow as Jerusalem was captured by the Roman army led by Titus (a general who would later become a Roman emperor). The Second Temple was destroyed and the Roman army carried the Temple treasures back to Rome. Those treasures included the temple's menorah (a lampstand with six branches). The Arch of Titus, located in Rome, includes a scene depicting the menorah being carried to Rome. Other items depicted on the artwork include silver trumpets and the altar of incense. 

Some biblical scholars declare the treasures of the Temple obscurely disappear from history around 70 A.D., while other theologians believe the Jewish treasures were successfully hidden somewhere on the Temple Mount. The menorah is mentioned as late as the sixth century AD as being carried on parade in Constantinople.

Whether the menorah and the temple treasures were successfully hidden away by the ancient Jews or if Rome indeed confiscated the sacred items and have the treasure hidden away unto this day, mankind has yet to be enlightened on the subject.

Arch of Titus (Wikipedia Images)
Left: Arch of Titus by Giovanni Paolo Panini c. 1740 Middle: Front view of the Arch of Titus
Right: South Inner Panel depicts the spoils taken from the Temple in Jerusalem.

Artifacts of the Red Sea Crossing

While critics have long denied the historicity of the biblical book of Exodus, the believers have long debated the location and date of the famous crossing of the Red Sea. Yet nearly everyone has heard of Moses and the exodus he led from Egypt, which is still remembered annually by the Jews in the feast of Passover. Remarkably, there has never been a serious effort to find the remains of Pharaoh and his Egyptian army under the waters of the Red Sea, where the Bible says they drown and most of the dead bodies washed up on the shore (Ex. 14:30). 

In 2003, a group of Bible enthusiasts, who dove the waters of the Red Sea, were interviewed after they alleging had found and photographed parts of chariots (wheels and axels). Earlier in the 1970s, American archeologist, Ron Wyatt, found pillars on each side of the sea claiming they marked the route the Israelites had taken to cross the Red Sea. Yet, the search for these biblical Egyptian artifacts has kind of gone by the wayside in the ensuing years of the 21st century. 

Chariot wheel and pillar (Google Images)
Left: Chariot wheel discovered in the Red Sea in 2003.
Right: One of the pillars discovered by Ron Wyatt. There are two pillars located
on both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba arm of the Red Sea.

Jeremiah’s Deed of Purchase

Not long before Judah's exile to Babylon occurred in the 6th century B.C., the prophet Jeremiah was commanded by the Israelite God to buy land from Hanamel, his kinsman. This land was under the control of the Babylonian army at that time (Jer. 32:1-9) and Hanamel obliged Jeremiah by selling the piece of property [that was considered worthless at the time]. The transaction of land was more of a symbolic gesture than a logical one, as it was to be a sign that someday the nation of Israel would reoccupy the land.

According to the Bible, Jeremiah carefully followed formal procedure by signing two identical deeds of purchase and sealing one of them shut before witnesses (Jer. 32:10-12). Jeremiah then commanded his scribe Baruch to place the deeds of purchase in a clay container in some place where they would be preserved for a long time (Jer. 32:13-15). 

Since God’s direction in having these documents preserved in a clay jar was to have them act as a future prophetic sign, it is not unlikely that they will be rediscovered one day.

(Bing Images)

The Original Tablets of the Ten Commandments

Exodus 32:15-16 states Moses came down from Mount Sinai after spending forty days with the God of Israel. He held in his hands two stone tablets that had been engraved by the Israelite God; these tablets contained the ten commandments. According to Exodus 32:19, when Moses came down the mountain and saw the people dancing around the golden calf they had made, he angrily threw the two tablets down to the base of the mountain, where they shattered. 

Moses later made two new tablets to replace the ones he had broken (Ex. 34:1). Some scholars debate whether the remains of the original broken tablets are still at the base of Mount Sinai, buried beneath layers of sand. But locating the actual site of this particular mountain has left the scholars and theologians at an impasse as there are several different proposed locations of Mount Sinai.

While it is recorded a second set of engraved stone tablets with the Ten Commandments was created and placed in the Ark of the Covenant - which that artifact has never been found - the first set of holy tablets has never been actively searched for. 

Depiction of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments (Bing Images)

Whether these biblical artifacts ever existed has been a huge debate between the believers and non-believers for many centuries, but the majority of modern biblical scholars will attest they did exist. But, whether the ancient artifacts were able to survive is another contested debate among the scholars and theologians of religion.

The Fatima Prophecies - Three Secrets of Fatima

The following article was obtained through the website, The Unexplained Mysteries.

The Three Secrets of Fatima consist of a series of visions and prophecies claimed to be given by an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three young Portuguese shepherds, Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, on July 13, 1917. The three children claimed to have been visited by a Marian apparition six times between May and October 1917. The apparition is now popularly known as Our Lady of Fatima.

The "miracle at Fatima" is arguably the most well-known apparition of the Blessed Mother. Her appearance to three shepherd children in Portugal in 1917 was, according to many witnesses, accompanied by several unexplained events, including a shared vision of the sun dancing and moving about erratically in the sky.

During her many appearances to the children, "Our Lady" bestowed upon them three prophecies. The first two were disclosed by Lucia dos Santos, the eldest of the three children, after she wrote them down in the early 1940s, but the third and final prophecy was not to be revealed until 1960. Well, 1960 came and went, and the third prophecy was not revealed because the Vatican said the world was not quite ready for it. This reluctance to disclose the secret lead to speculation among the faithful that it contained information about our future that was so horrific that the Pope dared not reveal it. Perhaps it foretold a nuclear war... or the end of the world.

On July 13, around noon, the lady is said to have entrusted the children with three secrets. Two of the secrets were revealed in 1941 in a document written by Lúcia, at the request of José da Silva, Bishop of Leiria, to assist with the publication of a new edition of a book on Jacinta. When asked by the Bishop of Leiria in 1943 to reveal the third secret, Lúcia struggled for a short period, being "not yet convinced that God had clearly authorized her to act." However, in October 1943 the bishop of Leiria ordered her to put it in writing. Lucia then wrote the secret down and sealed it in an envelope not to be opened until 1960, when "it will appear clearer." The text of the third secret was officially released by Pope John Paul II in 2000, although some claim that it was not the real secret revealed by Lucia, despite assertions from the Vatican to the contrary.

First secret
The first secret was a vision of Hell:

Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. 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 a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear and terror.

Second secret
The second secret is a statement that World War I would end and supposedly predicts the coming of World War II should God continue to be offended and if Russia does not convert. The second half requests that Russia be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart:

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 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 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 shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.

This secret's controversy is second only to the supposed final secret of Fatima, as it seemingly predicts both the all-encompassing World War II, the radical, bloody, and extreme anti-religion ideology of the Soviet Union; the proxy wars and limited direct confrontations that would be initiated between the Western Democracies and the Soviet Bloc. Some critics have noted that the "Prophecy" was not disclosed until August 1941, after World War II had already begun. Pope Pius XII allegedly consecrated Russia on July 7, 1952.

Third secret
The third part of the secret was written down "by order of His Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and the Most Holy Mother ..." on 3 January 1944. Bishop Silva, visiting Lúcia on 15 September 1943 while she was bed-ridden, first suggested that she write the third secret down to ensure that it would be recorded in the event of her death. Lucia was hesitant to do so, however. Finally, in mid-October, Bishop Silva sent her a letter containing a direct order to record the secret, and Lúcia obeyed. In June 1944, the sealed envelope containing the third secret was delivered to Silva, where it stayed until 1957, when it was finally delivered to Rome.

It was announced on 13 May 2000, 83 years after the first apparition of the Lady to the children in the Cova da Iria, that the third secret would finally be released. The text was published on 26 June 2000:

J.M.J.

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.

Tuy-3-1-1944.

Along with the text of the secret, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger published a theological commentary, in which he states that:

"A careful reading of the text of the so-called third 'secret' of Fatima ... will probably prove disappointing or surprising after all the speculation it has stirred. No great mystery is revealed; nor is the future unveiled."

After explaining the differences between public and private revelations, he cautions people not to see in the message a determined future event:

"The purpose of the vision is not to show a film of an irrevocably fixed future. Its meaning is exactly the opposite: it is meant to mobilize the forces of change in the right direction. Therefore we must totally discount fatalistic explanations of the “secret”, such as, for example, the claim that the would-be assassin of 13 May 1981 was merely an instrument of the divine plan guided by Providence and could not therefore have acted freely, or other similar ideas in circulation. Rather, the vision speaks of dangers and how we might be saved from them."

He then moves on to talk about the symbolic nature of the images, noting that:

"The concluding part of the 'secret' uses images which Lucia may have seen in devotional books and which draw their inspiration from long-standing intuitions of faith."

As for the meaning of the message:

"What remains was already evident when we began our reflections on the text of the 'secret': the exhortation to prayer as the path of 'salvation for souls' and, likewise, the summons to penance and conversion."

Third Secret controversy
The Vatican withheld the third secret until June 26, 2000 – despite Lúcia's declaration that it could be released to the public after 1960. Several sources, including Canon Barthas and Cardinal Ottaviani, said that Sr. Lúcia insisted to them it must be released by 1960, saying, "by that time, it will be more clearly understood." When 1960 passed without any such announcement, immense speculation over the content of the secret materialized. According to the New York Times, speculation over the content of the secret ranged "from worldwide nuclear annihilation to deep rifts in the Roman Catholic Church that lead to rival papacies."

There are some groups who dispute that the full text of the third secret has been officially published. The most prominent among these is The Fatima Center, which is run by Father Nicholas Gruner. Gruner was suspended as a priest by the Avellino, Italy diocese. The Congregation for the Clergy announced on September 12, 2001, that Gruner's suspension was "confirmed by a definitive sentence of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature." Father Gruner rejected the validity of the suspension and continues to perform the functions of a priest. On November 22, 2006, the Italian author Antonio Socci published Il Quarto Segreto di Fatima (The Fourth Secret of Fatima) in Italian, which also argues that the Vatican has not formally released the entire Third Secret. These critics, for example, point to the fact that Lucia's vision, as recorded in the officially released text, does not contain any words from Mary, as one might expect, and says nothing about a crisis of faith in the Church.

The Vatican has maintained its position that the full text of the Third Secret was published in June 2000. A report from the Zenit Daily Dispatch dated December 20, 2001, based on a Vatican press release, claimed that Lucia told then Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, in an interview conducted the previous month, that the secret has been completely revealed and published, and that no secrets remain.Bertone was entrusted by John Paul II with the publication of the third part of the secret of Fatima.

It is held by Fatima researchers Dr. Joaquim Fernandes and Fina d'Armada that the events described in the third secret of Fatima did occur exactly as foretold, with one exception: at the end, the "Bishop dressed in White" was saved from certain death. This research concludes that the "Bishop dressed in White", of whom Lúcia says "'we had the impression that it was the Holy Father'", who "prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way" was Bishop D. Ximenes Belo, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate; the "big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow" was Dili in East-Timor, an ex-colony of Portugal and a territory of people long devoted to Our Lady; the timeline of the mentioned events of atrocity is claimed to have occurred during the month of September, 1999.

Signs of the End of the World

The following article was obtained through the website, Signs of the End Times.

The year is now 2020 and many people around the globe are wondering if the end of the world is near. I don't think there has ever been such a widespread interest in this topic like there is today. And who can blame people for wondering, when you see what is happening to our world. The signs of the end are prevalent. War, famine, natural disasters, incredible and rapid increase in knowledge. Poisoning of the air and water. Birds of the air and the Fish of the seas dying in huge numbers. These are just a few of the Biblical signs which you can see on our end time signs home page. The signs are so strong now and the evidence is so clear that any person willing to accept the truth can see that the end of the world, as we know it, is near.

Now the signs of the end that we are dealing with on this page are the signs we find within 2 Timothy 3:1-5 …'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.'

These verses predicted a great moral degeneration in our society. But before we get into these last day signs, take a look at this Bible verse also ... 2 Peter 3:3-4 ...'Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.' Do we live in a day of scoffers? Most certainly! Talk about the end times and the majority of people, including many Christians will just laugh it off saying that "all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." in PERFECT fulfillment of this Bible prophecy above!

So lets look at just some of the signs from the above Bible verse in Timothy and apply it to our time and see if it tells us that we are living at the end of the world, just before the second coming of Jesus. Remember, these signs are purely dealing with the moral decline in society. 

End of World Sign - PERILOUS TIMES
Are we living in perilous times? There is no doubt about that. Let's just take one example of what is happening today. There are uprisings all around the world, with people protesting and rioting and governments toppling. The people are starting to see the power they have if they get together. And this is a very dangerous situation and one that will lead to the image of the beast being formed, which will bring on the enforcement of the beast's mark. And with the economy melting all around the world, with countries nearing bankruptcy, the world is becoming ripe for a one world currency, which will aid with enforcing the mark and stop those who refuse the mark from "buying and selling" (Rev.13).

End of World Sign - LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN GOD
This sign of the end is powerful just on its own! Do we live in a world full of pleasure seekers? Most certainly. Again, to fulfill this end of world sign, we only need look at the professing Christian churches. A great majority of professing Christians are lovers of pleasure more than they love God. They fill their lives with television, partying, socializing, reading novels, playing games, wasting time on social networks like Facebook, and God gets little of their time.

The films, tv programs and music that professing Christians are happy to listen to today is just shocking! There is no distinction between your average Christian and a worldly person today. Should Christians listen to secular music and watch all the garbage that they do? No, not at all. The programs and films that are watched by professed Christians today are an abomination to God.

Now, go back 50 years or more and this would not be the problem it is today, because life was much simpler back then, without all the worldly entertainment. How many Christian homes give time to worship God as a family everyday? Not too many I guess, because they are too busy watching their favorite tv program, or reading their favorite novel, or playing their favorite games. We certainly live in a pleasure seeking world. This sign of the last days is fulfilled in our generation.

Men are still living as if nothing is going to happen. Pleasure lovers are still crowding into bars, theatres, gambling halls and sports arenas. The highest excitement prevails, and yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short, and he's always at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut.

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WILL BE COVETOUS
Well, we certainly live in a covetous age, where people clamour after the latest and best things. And not only do we covet possessions, we also covet after other men and women, whether married or not. The majority of people today are seeking after worldly riches, rather than eternal heavenly riches. Again, this end of the world sign also applies to the churches of today. Just look at what the prosperity gospel is producing! Professing Christians just in it for earthly riches.

Also, think about how many women are coveted and lusted after everyday, because of the tight, revealing clothing they wear these days. And not just on the streets, but in the churches also! And again, the television, internet, magazines, billboards, etc, causes us to covet and clamour after the latest things this world has to offer. No doubt we live in a covetous time like no other.

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WILL BE BOASTERS AND PROUD
Pride was the original sin that caused Satan to fall from his exalted position in Heaven, and pride is the sin that the majority of people cherish in this world today. LOOK AT ME is the way people are today. Too proud to be humble before God and turn the other cheek to their fellow neighbour. Too proud to stop and help someone in need just in case others see them.

And as mentioned above, the way people dress these days compared to times past is amazing! Tight, trendy, revealing clothes to make people look at them and like them. Driving the latest cars and wanting to live in the nicest homes. LOOK AT ME, I've made it in this world!

End of World Sign - CHILDREN DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS
Let me give you a quote from a newspaper in the UK after the riots there in August 2011 ...

"You have a generation of kids now that don't respect their parents or the police ... When we were youngsters we were made to have respect for the olders. Now if an older was to slap a youth that kid is going to pick up a hammer." (source)

This is one of the many signs of the end of the world, and it is pointing clearly to our generation. The youths of today go about in gangs having little respect for their elders and parents, and pretty much little respect for anything, which this business man in Detroit will tell you. And why is that? Because society today teaches them that there is no God. They have no idea what Christ Jesus has done for them, and therefore they do not have any future. So really, it's not surprising that they rebel!

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WILL BE UNTHANKFUL
Many of us are unthankful today because we have been so conditioned by the world to just take things for granted. Just have a think about your daily life. Are you really thankful to God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon you? Do you thank Him for waking you up in the morning? For feeding you? For providing you with a job and income? Do you thank Him for His wonderful creation? And most of all, do you thank God everyday for giving us His Son Christ Jesus? Do you contemplate that amazing sacrifice He made? Now if Christians are unthankful, then what are those outside the faith like? We certainly live in a time of ungratefulness. Spare a thought for those who DON'T have today!

There will be some people reading this that have great troubles and difficulties in their lives. But you CAN be thankful. Thankful that God has promised us a future, if we believe in His Son Jesus Christ, and follow Him.

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WILL BE UNHOLY
Now this sign of the end of the world is an amazing one. Do you know why? Because I only need to talk about professing Christians here. Go back just 50 years and you would find a world with Christians who were far more holy and humble than they are today. Many believe that we need not keep the ten commandments anymore, just as long as we "believe" in Jesus. And what does this lead to? A people who continue living in sin and being unholy.

Jude 1:4 … 'For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.'

These men have certainly crept into the churches and as a result the churches are full of unconverted, unholy people today, who have turned the grace of God into a license to sin! Much more so today than in times past. Churches today have become more like social places, theatres and concerts, rather than holy places of worship. Christians have lost the Bible truth about how to worship in Church.

Christians seem to think that they will be saved IN their sins, rather than Jesus saving them FROM their sins. There is little effort today being made in turning away from sin and living a holy life for God. And if this is the state of the majority of Christians, then what is the rest of the world like? Yes, this end of the world sign is being fulfilled today. We are sure living in the last days. 

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION

Another great sign of the end of the world! Just look at how homosexuality is being pushed and accepted around the world today. The picture on the right is just one of the many articles from the news today, showing that homosexuality is becoming the "norm".  And not just in the world, but in the churches too!

We are also now seeing churches accept ACTIVE homosexuals. And not only that, many churches are now placing these people in leadership positions! Homosexuality is being pushed through television also, with many programs portraying homosexuality as normal. This is all in complete disobedience to God's clear Word ... 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 … 'Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.' So many signs showing we are IN the last days!

End of World Sign - DESPISERS OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD
We live in an age today where people will not take correction or rebuke for their sins. If you warn Christians for wrong doing, many of them will just say "stop judging me!" and will not take correction. Even though the Bible says that the Word of God is to be used for instruction, correction and rebuke.

2 Timothy 3:16 … 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.'

This day and age, people are CRITICIZED for being pious. If you are seen to be a good, holy person, then the world will sneer at you, being labelled as a "goody two shoes". The world is so full of sin today that it cannot handle people who are good. This Bible sign is applicable more for our day than any other before us, and shows we are living in the last days.

End of World Sign - PEOPLE WILL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES
You will now see how Paul above in 2 Timothy is talking about our day. These signs of the last days are so clearly speaking about our generation. Do people love themselves today by putting themselves before God and other people? Most certainly. We seem to be more concerned about how we look on the outside, rather than how we look on the inside (our heart). Everything now is commercialized to the extreme to make people think about ME, ME, ME!. If you walked down the street just 50 years ago, you would have seen the majority of people dressed modestly in smart, humble clothing, covering their bodies. Today if you do the same you will see the majority of people dressed in tight revealing clothing to make themselves look "sexy".

Today, the television, radio, newspapers, magazines and internet are full of adverts to try and lure us into buying the next best thing, to make us look better than the next person. Yes, this is certainly a sign for the time we live in. And what makes this sign appropriate more for our day is the fact that it applies to the majority of professing Christians also! The church is full of people who have no idea what it truly means to worship God, and think more of themselves than they do of God and other people. Just look at America! The majority of people there profess to be Christian. So why is it that there are thousands of people starving to death everyday? Because professing Christians are too busy with themselves to worry about the needy. And Satan has deceived the majority of professing Christians into thinking it is ok to spend the money that God has entrusted them with on THEMSELVES, rather than using it to help the poor and further God's kingdom.

End of World Sign - A "FORM" OF GODLINESS ONLY
Now this is an end time sign pointing purely to Christians. And is it fulfilled in our day? Yes. The Christian churches are FULL of people who only have a "form" of Godliness. How many Christians actually LIVE the faith that they proclaim? How many LIVE according to the way laid out in the Bible? Not many, which is why Jesus said ... "will I find faith when I return?" (Luke 18:8). And which is why He said that only "few" would find the narrow way, as the majority will head down the broad way to destruction. Why? Because they loved the world more than they loved God!

Yes, there may be "revivals" going on around the world today. But many of them only have that "form" of Godliness and are not filled with the true Spirit of God. Anyone can rent a stadium. Put on an elaborate "Christian" rock band on stage. Say "nice" things to make people feel good. Draw many people through the doors and call it "revival". But do you know what TRUE revival is? Turning away from sin and living holy lives for God. The so called revivals happening today are nothing more than worldly excitement.

Are we Living in the Last Days?

There is no doubt whatsoever, that the signs of the end of the world in the Bible are pointing to our generation. Anyone can see the great moral degeneration that has happened over the past 50+ years. The moral depravation of this world has reached such a point that we are now like Sodom and Gomorrha just before God destroyed that city with fire ... 2 Peter 2:6 … 'And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly.'

So is the world going to end in the next couple of years? We cannot set dates, but from all the signs, we can know that the second coming is 'at the door'. There are still some things yet to happen that end time prophecy reveals, like the mark of the beast being enforced. And once the mark of the beast is enforced, we will know that we are in the VERY last days, right at the end of the world. But please do not wait until that happens to get ready. We need to get ready now and live for Christ Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven every day.

Don't forget, none of us know when OUR last day will be. So we need to be ready everyday. Satan's deceptions and temptations are going to get stronger and stronger. So please seek the truth of God's Word in the Bible and start living for Christ Jesus.

(→→ WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? ←←)

Take a look at 2 Timothy 3 above again. EVERY sign that is given in those verses are specifically pointing to our day today. These are the signs showing that the end of the world is near. We ARE living in the last days, there can be no doubt.

For great truths concerning the end times and Bible prophecy, please see our prophecy site: www.end-times-prophecy.org.

Easter and Passover Cancelled?

As COVID-19 rages around planet Earth and the death toll rises, many countries around the world are either locking completely down or partially shutting down their territories region by region. The term, "it's a madhouse out there!" becomes quite the understatement as people scramble to buy essential needs to help them through this crisis. 

Yet, in the last few weeks since this monstrous pestilence surfaced, not too many are thinking of anyone but themselves and their families. Hoarding toilet paper, cleaners and disinfectants and even food has become the norm during this pandemic. Not many people are thinking of their neighbors during this trying time. "Every man for himself" seems to be a silent mantra adopted by many. But let's not shoot down all of humanity for the actions of some. There are still a plenty of "Noahs" in the world today who understand what is really happening and are well prepared to ride this evil storm out.  

With Easter and Passover fast approaching, many Christians and Jews will discover their festive events are being cancelled. For many this will be upsetting because there goes the big BBQ parties with friends and family. Christian children will not be able to share their Easter egg hunt with others at community events. The Jewish families will have to limit the sharing of food and storytelling of the Exodus to their immediate families instead of celebrating with extended family and friends among their congregations.

Yet, the holidays are not only about having fun, playing games or having quality family time, Easter is about Jesus Christ dying for mankind's sins and being raised up on the third day to fulfill the prophecy spoken of in the Book of Psalm. "But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself." (49:15). 

For thousands of years the Christians have acknowledged there was a prophet known as Jesus Christ who died [for the sins of mankind] and ascended to heaven to be with the Creator [to save those whom believe in Him]. Over the centuries Jesus' resurrection and ascension has slowly been transformed from a righteous and holy celebration to a commercially glamourous festival. Somewhere along the timeline of mankind, the true meaning of Easter has lost its religious foundation to be replaced with an Easter Bunny who brings colorful, candy-filled eggs to children in hopes of carefully and craftily diverting Jesus' importance from the world.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” ~ John 11:21-27

Likewise, Passover is to commemorate the Creator's successful deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery 3,500 years ago. The Deliverer entrusted another prophet known as Moses to carry out His will by inflicting 10 plagues upon Egypt when the ruler of that kingdom refused to set free the Israelite God's people. It was not until the last plague (death of the firstborn son) and this God sparing those Israelite sons who took instruction from Moses to kill a lamb and use the blood to paint the tops of their doors so the spirit of death would "pass over" the homes of the God's people, that Egypt's pharaoh finally admitted defeat and set the Hebrew nation free. 

The Passover is an 8-day celebration that marks the most momentous event in Jewish history; the commandment to keep Passover is recorded in the Book of Leviticus. This Jewish festival typically brings relatives, friends and even strangers together for a celebration of freedom, which is highlighted by a religious feast known as a Seder dinner held on the first night of Passover. The Seder guests are given a copy of the story of the Exodus and each is a given a turn to read and explain six symbolic foods that are placed upon the table. Four goblets of wine, or grape juice, are consumed throughout the Seder meal, representing the four terms for deliverance used in Exodus 6:6-7. Traditionally, the youngest person at Passover Seder recites the Four Questions (an explanation of the symbolism of the food and rituals related with the Seder).

Throughout the celebration of Passover, scriptures are recited and different songs are sung in a certain order. When the meal is over, an adult will hide the afikomen (a special piece of matzo - a flat cracker) somewhere in the house. Excited children then proceed to look for the hidden afikomen and exchange it for a prize, such as a Passover-themed toy or book. This is very similar to the Christian tradition of hiding Easter eggs.

Even Passover will feel the constraints this year as the COVID-19 epidemic spreads throughout the world. Many Jewish organizations have asked community members to limit preparations for Passover to essentials only. Some are being asked to cancel their travel plans, as well. Many synagogues have traditionally hosted Seder meals for their congregants, but definitely will not be able to this year due to coronavirus.

"We are accustomed to honoring Pesach (Passover) to the fullest degree, including taking haircuts, purchasing new clothing and tableware, and preparing the fullest menus," said a joint statement from leaders of major American Orthodox Jewish organizations. "This year’s public health crisis mandates us to significantly limit all of the above."

Several temples around the world are offering online ceremonies and some Jewish organizations are distributing "Seder in a Box" kits for novices that contain essentials including matzo, grape juice and the ritual foods required for the Seder plate.

“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present a food offering to the Lord. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’” ~ Leviticus 23:4-8

With travel plans being cancelled and synagogues officially closed, many Jews will have to lead their own Seder for the first time in history! Likewise, the Christian congregations around the world will have to celebrate Easter via the internet or with their loved ones in the confines of their own homes.

But, is Easter and Passover actually cancelled? That depends on how a person actually views the meaning of the religious holidays.