May 13 commemorated the 96th anniversary of when the Third Secret of Fatima was given to Lucia, and the circumstances surrounding it and one unrevealed mystery has something in common with my thriller novel, The Nativity Conspiracy.
Much has been written about the Three Secrets revealed to three Portuguese shepherd children by what they described as the Virgin Mary. The multiple appearances of an apparition which is known as Our Lady of Fatima visited Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto several times beginning on May 13, 1917.
Soon after the first sighting, their story of seeing the Virgin Mary spread quickly through the neighboring villages. As many as 70,000 people reportedly were present during her last and final visit, and it was well documented that there were also strange objects lighting up the sky:
Witnesses reported –
“I looked at the sun and saw it spinning like a disc, rolling on itself. I saw people changing color. They were stained with the colors of the rainbow. The sun seemed to fall down from the sky . . . The people said that the world was going to end . . . They were afraid and screaming.” – Antonio de Oliveiro, Farmer.
“Suddenly the rain stopped and a great splendor appeared and the children cried: ‘Look at the sun!’ I saw the sun coming down, feeling that it was falling to the ground. At that moment, I collapsed.” – Maria Candida da Silva.
“The sun’s disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.” – Dr. Almeida Garrett, Professor of Natural Sciences at CoimbraUniversity.
What do The Nativity Conspiracy and The Third Secret of the Fatima have in common?
I think they both deal with the same idea, that the Vatican is hiding the truth about extraterrestrial visitors.
First let us examine the mystery. The first two secrets given to Lucia Santos had to do with predicting the onset of the two world wars along with the Soviet persecution of Christians, all of which did occur.
Lucia was more reserved about revealing the third and final secret. In 1943 she was asked several times by the Bishop of Leiria to reveal the third secret however, but she was hesitant. Months later the Bishop of Leiria was more direct and ordered her to write down the secret which she did, and sealed it in an envelope with the instruction that it, “not be opened until 1960, when it will appear clearer.”
It is interesting to note that beginning in the late fifties there was an increase in U.F.O. sightings after the much publicized Roswell incident. However, the year 1960 came and went with many Catholics disappointed that the Vatican refused to reveal the third and final secret. The Vatican’s official press release stated it was “most probable the Secret would remain forever under absolute seal.”
Speculation ranging from a global nuclear holocaust to natural catastrophes circulated throughout Catholic spheres and continued until June 26, 2000 when the Vatican under Pope John Paul II revealed the much anticipated Third Secret. But it was met with much apprehension and disbelief. First and foremost the original letter from Lucia was hand written on a single page of paper in stark contrast to the four pages of text released by the Vatican.
The so-called Third Secret as divulged by the Vatican was full of symbolism and did not reveal anything apocalyptic or earth shattering. Instead the text makes mention of arrows and bullets being fired on a bishop dressed in white killing him along with other bishops, priests and religious men and women. In addition, the letter states that one must pray and do much penance. Hardly earth shattering.
Why did the Vatican in 1960 make such a dramatic statement about not revealing the rather mundane Third Secret?
Sister Lucia requested that her letter be read in 1960 when it becomes clearer, when the world can better understand its meaning. Given the increase in UFO sightings along with, at the time, the beginning of man’s exploration of space, the contents of the letter certainly could have been better understood. For example, during biblical times anything seen in the sky which radiated light would probably be described as a moving star as in Mathew 2:9. In the Gospel, the three wise men followed a moving star which led them to the manger. Now of course, a light moving in the sky could be many things and characterized as a U.F.O if not identifiable.
One key issue which I find very interesting and not discussed by the Vatican was the descriptions of the lights and objects by the eyewitnesses at Fatima.
They all saw strange lights as though the sun was falling from the heavens. If this were truly the case wouldn’t at least half the world bear witness to this natural phenomenon? Some even stated that they saw illuminating discs that seemed to fly out from the sun. It is my belief that what they really saw was a huge illuminating mother ship from which other smaller vessels departed from. In 1917 as in biblical times, they simply had no way to describe what they saw as we would today.
It is my opinion that, The Third Secret of Fatima is really the same secret that I have brought to the light in The Nativity Conspiracy.
One thing is certain: the mystery and controversy will continue until the original letter from Sister Lucia Dos Santos is made public as she requested. It seems that with the hidden letter, The Nativity Conspiracy has something else in common with the Third Secret of Fatima.
Editors Note: Horace G. Feliu is the former Mayor of South Miami, a Catholic and author of the controversial thriller, The Nativity Conspiracy. <www.thenativityconspiracy.com>
