Page 34 - Michael Journal — 2019 October

Our Lady of Fatima

in Russia

Yves Jacques
a reminder of Our Lady’s words in
ecently I finished reading a Fatima, “I shall come to ask for the
beautiful book entitled, Fati- consecration of Russia to my Im-
Rma Mysteries, written to com- maculate Heart.”
memorate the 100th anniversary On March 25, 1984, in St. Pe-
of the apparitions and messages ter’s Square, before the Fatima
of Our Blessed Mother to the three Shrine statue of Our Lady, with
small shepherd children in Fatima, about 200,000 faithful present, and
Portugal in 1917. Renowned au-
thor-photographer team, Grzegorz numerous bishops and cardinals,
Górny and Janusz Rosikon, trav- and in union with all the bishops
eled throughout Europe to tell the throughout the entire world, Pope
story of Fatima, with stunningly St. John Paul II solemnly conse-
beautiful color photographs and crated the world, including Russia,
brought in-depth detail and in- to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, as had
sights on all aspects of the story been requested by Our Lady at Fati-
and message of Fatima. ma.
In their book, the authors relate Ironically, not even two months
how, in 1996, they travelled with a later, on May 13, 1984 (the 67th
statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which anniversary of Our Lady’s first ap-
left Portugal to circulate around the pearance at Fatima), a deadly series
former Soviet Union from Decem- of munitions fires, known as the
ber until the following July, 1997. Severomorsk Disaster, occurred in
The Virgin was welcomed enthusi- a Russian naval base located near A Russian-style icon of Our Lady of Fatima,
shown on display May 30 at the Catholic
astically and carried in procession Finland on the Barents Sea. The fire Parish of St. John the Baptist in the town
throughout many Russian cities, turned catastrophic when it caused of Pushkin near St. Petersburg, Russia
even in those places where Commu- a massive chain of explosions re- (CNS photos | Robert Duncan)
nism had left its bloody mark: forced sulting in the deaths of nearly 300
labor camps, Katyn Forest (the site Russian military personnel and the bishops and ordinaries of sui iuris
of the mass execution of Polish destruction of at least 900 of the Eastern Catholic Churches in Rome
military officers and intelligentsia), Northern fleets’ missiles and torpe- this past September 2019, the Holy
World War II battlefields, etc. does. Father, Pope Francis, approved a
The highlight of this tour, it In Fatima Mysteries, Grzegorz project to construct the first official
would seem, came while they were Gorny and Janusz Rosikon report- sanctuary to be dedicated to Our
staying with Franciscan brothers in ed that years later, Sr. Lucia wrote: Lady of Fatima in St. Petersburg, in
the city of Moscow. The authorities “Everyone knows perfectly well that the very heart of Russia!
had not agreed to a public exhibi- we went through one of the most Fr. Alejandro Burgos, a Spanish
tion of the statue, but as the Fran- critical moments in human history, missionary priest stationed in St. Pe-
ciscans recalled that St. Maximilian when the great, mutually hostile tersburg, had an icon made depict-
Kolbe had once predicted that the powers planned a nuclear war that ing Our Lady of Fatima, inscribed
statue of Our Lady would one day would have destroyed the world, if with the quote, “It is in you that
stand in Red Square, writer Janusz not the whole world, then the great- unity is realized.” Fr. Burgos said,
Rosikon persuaded the monks to er part of it. And what would have “The Orthodox confessions are not
take the statue there. They did with remained? What chances of surviv- opposed to this project (to build the
some misgivings and the statue al? And who could have dissuaded sanctuary, which will be dedicated
was ostentatiously placed right in those arrogant people, surrounded to the Byzantine Rite, and become
the center of Red Square directly by their war plans…? Who, if not the new home to this icon). Many
at the foot of the Kremlin wall. Not God.” Russians have a great devotion to
a single policeman interfered. A Is it not then providential that Our Lady of Fatima, who interceded
photo session was arranged and Our Lady is continuing to manifest for the conversion of Russia during
these photos would later be circu- her maternal intercession in Russia? the Communist persecution.” v
lated throughout the entire world — At a recent gathering of about 40

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