'I think it would be excellent if Pope Leo XIV were to consecrate Russia.'
(LifeSiteNews) — More than three years ago, on March 25, 2022, Pope Francis appeared to consecrate “ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine” to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He had invited the bishops of the world to join him in this act in their respective countries and parishes.
But there are problems with this consecration: the promised reign of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the period of peace as promised by her has still not arrived. The Ukraine war is still raging, the war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of civilians, and war with Iran may be on the horizon.
Therefore, the question arises whether the March 25, 2022, consecration of Russia fulfilled all the demands made by Heaven during the 1917 apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima and afterwards.
We have already gratefully published statements by two bishops, Bishop Joseph Strickland (formerly of Tyler, Texas) and Bishop Bernard Fellay (of the Society of St. Pius X) who both argued that this last consecration was not sufficient to gain the abundance of graces promised by Heaven.
Bishop Strickland argued that “in 2022, Pope Francis consecrated 'humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine.' But again, this was not explicit, exclusive consecration of Russia as such, and it is not evident that it was performed in full union with all the bishops in a manner that met the clarity of Heaven’s demand.”
Bishop Fellay, among other things, pointed out that the aspect of reparatio, of “reparation for the offenses committed” was missing in 2022. “Pope Francis did not call upon acts of reparation on the part of the faithful,” he observed. “Heaven spoke specifically of the First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as reparation. But Pope Francis did not even mention it.” Nevertheless these acts of reparation for the offenses committed are an integral part of the message of Fatima.
LifeSite has reached out to scholars, journalists, and clergymen from all over the world, asking them to comment on the matter. In the following, we shall publish some of their reflections for our readers' own assessment of our current situation. We also asked these sources if they would support a LifeSite petition asking our newly elected Pope, Leo XIV, to conduct a consecration of Russia that is in exact alignment with Heaven's wishes.
In general, the full consecration of Russia is expected to name Russia alone, to be done by the Pope and all the bishops in the world simultaneously, to be a response to the request of Our Lady of Fatima, to underscore the spirit of reparation and repentance, and to promote the Rosary as well as the Five Saturday Devotion, since both are intrinsically linked to Our Lady of Fatima's apparitions.
Please see here short statements by scholars, journalists, and clergymen:
Although Russia was clearly named and consecrated, the last consecration attempt of March 25th, 2022, in my opinion, deliberately obscured origin, intention and objective of the act by consecrating firstly "ourselves," secondly "the Church," thirdly "all humanity," and intending not conversion and penance, but an "end to the violence" and "peace throughout the world." Said act of consecration became even more doubtful to me a few months later, when the papal consecrator signed, and numerous episcopal co-consecrators approved or endorsed with silence, the document "Fiducia supplicans," which is so incompatible with the call to conversion, the intentions, and the purity of Mary and Her Immaculate Heart.
Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Dr.rer.pol. Rudolf Hilfer, Stuttgart
The act of March 25, 2022, was clearly a response to the request of the Ukrainian bishops, who asked for a consecration in accordance with Our Lady's request at Fatima. The Holy See's response is therefore implicitly a response to Our Lady's request.
However, no mention was ever made of Fatima, nor was it said that this consecration was a response to Our Lady's request.
Furthermore, Russia was not the only country mentioned. Throughout her life, Sister Lucia affirmed that, by the will of Our Lord, only Russia should be mentioned, because it is a well-defined territory whose conversion could be clearly seen. Since Ukraine was part of Russia at the time of Our Lady's request, Ukraine can be included in the act of consecration. But adding the Church and the world means that the consecration no longer responds to Our Lady's request. For it would be possible to see the conversion of Russia and Ukraine, but it would not be possible to see the conversion of the whole world.
Furthermore, there was no act of reparation. The prayer begins with a request for forgiveness, but it mentions neither the offenses against Our Lord and Our Lady, nor the sins committed as a result of the errors spread by Russia.
Finally, there is no reference to the reparatory devotion of the first Saturdays of the month, even though Our Lady asked that the pope promise to recognize and recommend this devotion once Russia was converted.
For all these reasons, despite the union of a large number of bishops and the fact that Russia is expressly named, the act only imperfectly responds to the request made by Our Lady and Our Lord in 1929 and 1930.
Ives de Lassus, Director of Cap Fatima, France
On July 13, 1917, Our Lady of Fatima revealed that God wills to save the world by means of devotion to Her Immaculate Heart. She explained that this must be fostered specifically by the First Saturday Devotion of Reparation and the Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart. Our Lady returned to request the former on December 10, 1925 and the latter on June 13, 1929. She promised the conversion of Russia and a period of peace in the world once Her commands are obeyed. We have not seen either of these major world events; thus, we know Russia remains unconsecrated.
Since 1917, there has been continual conflict and war somewhere in the world, and over the past 100 years we have seen more people killed in wars than in all the other centuries of human history combined. (That remains true even if we don't include the untold millions of children who have died in utero in the 'war of abortion.') A mere growth in 'religiosity' or a turning away from 'atheism' in Russia does not constitute 'conversion' as understood by Heaven. Our Lady speaks of true conversion: that is, accepting all true doctrine and the right worship of God under God's rightful hierarchy in the One, Holy, Apostolic, Roman Catholic Church. And we know God wills these great miracles to be acknowledged by all as having been brought about through the intercession of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart. Therefore, the singular graces – the likes of which the world has never seen – must promptly follow the Act of Consecration, otherwise prideful men with darkened minds and hardened hearts will not see the causal connection between the Pope's act and Russia's conversion and world peace.
The consecrations of Popes Pius XII in 1942 and 1952, John Paul II in 1984, and Francis in 2022 – among several other failed attempts – have all failed to consecrate Russia as Our Lady requested at Fatima. None of these acts have been public ecclesial acts with Russia as the sole object of consecration. It seems the essential aspect of "consecration" – setting something apart for a sacred purpose as willed by God – is not being properly understood. Moreover, on none of these occasions did the Pope command all the bishops of the world to join him in a collegial consecratory act. And neither did the Pope call for acts of reparation, which are an essential part of the devotion desired by God. These are three important elements of a proper consecration as requested by Our Lord and Our Lady. (Sadly, the act by Francis on March 25, 2022, did not mention Fatima, the importance of the Holy Rosary, and reparation for the blasphemies against Our Lady which have so outraged God.)
Our Lady has given us very clear guidelines as to what consecratory act God will accept as obediently fulfilling His command. They are extremely simple to follow. A true consecration could be completed with a prayer that takes less than five minutes and can be carried out gratis. We believe when a Pope does it with a true spirit of docile obedience and the intention to faithfully carry out Our Lady's request, we will see the great fruits promised by Her. Our Lord has said this will happen late, yet we have absolute and perfect confidence that it will happen because Our Lady has promised it. In the end, Her Immaculate Heart will triumph!
David Rodriguez, Content Director of the Fatima Center
READ: St. Joseph’s forgotten role in Fatima’s ‘Miracle of the Sun’
I wholly support your idea of asking our new Holy Father to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
This is not at all to imply that grace was not unleashed, to a greater or lesser extent, by each of the flawed consecrations undertaken in 1942, 1952, 1964, 1982 and 1984. Indeed, just six weeks after the latter imperfect consecration by John Paul II in March 1984, a totally inexplicable fire suddenly ignited a major stockpile of naval missiles at the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet, setting off violent explosions and killing 200-300 people. The fire raged for five days, ultimately destroying at least one third of the Northern Fleet's stockpile of surface-to-air missiles and striking a major strategic blow to Soviet capabilities at a most perilous time in the Cold War.
So, as underlined by that dramatic heavenly response, God is forbearing and clearly weighs good intentions when perfect adherence to his commands is lacking. And yet He does expect very precise rules and guidelines to be followed. Despite his good intentions, Uzzah was struck dead for touching the Ark of the Covenant against God's directive [2 Sam. 6]. The sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, were struck dead for offering incense improperly [Lev. 10]. God does care about obedience to fine details, to include wording (e.g., “Russia”). And so whatever degree of spiritual cleansing may have been achieved by earlier consecrations, a further precise consecrative ‘exorcism’ is now required to drive out even worse demons who have subsequently taken up residence in the West via the spread of Russia’s materialistic “errors,” not least within our Church ravaged by modernism.
To that end, the sense of relief and uplift among the faithful upon Pope Leo’s election has created an atmosphere conducive to your suggested approach. Even the Bishops of England and Wales are suddenly acting out of liberal character! True disciples of the Pope Francis and the most unlikely episcopate to take an interest in Fatima, they have just issued a notice of public appreciation for the World Apostolate of Fatima having organized “the Visitation of the two National Pilgrim statues [of Our Lady of Fatima] and the Relics of Saints Jacinta and Francisco to all Cathedrals and Catholic shrines in England and Wales between May 2025 and October 2026.” More amazing still, they have highlighted the vital but rarely mentioned First Saturday devotion, writing:
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, the bishops recognise the profound invitations to peace, prayer and penance contained in the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. They encourage all Catholics to a renewal of faith, especially in their love for the Eucharist and the sacraments and commend the Five First Saturdays devotion as a fruitful means to enter into this renewal.
As you know, in 1939, Sister Lucia wrote that “war or peace depend on this devotion (First Saturdays) along with the Consecration of Russia.” She also wrote that after the Consecration of Russia had been done, that Rome must formally promulgate the First Five Saturday devotions.
Given our apocalyptic, sin-laden times we need to get these exact commands from Heaven done and dusted. A fresh papal start post-Francis is a good time to broach a fresh (and full) attempt.
[P.S. Some parts of my mail to you on Fatima were extracted from the second part of a lengthy editorial essay I published in 2013: Consecrating Russia to Exorcise the West: 2]
Rod Pead, Editor-in-Chief, Christian Order
It seems to me a formidable initiative. Count on me and my signature
Pedro L. Llera, Director of Educational Centers, Gobiendes, Spain
Yes! This is a very good idea! The promulgation of the Five First Saturdays is long overdue. I would support such a request publicly.
Thank you for your initiative!
Wolfram Schrems, catechist, Austria
I agree.
Maria Guarini, Editor of Chiesa e postconcilio, Italy
Yes!!
Elizabeth F. Yore, Esq., Founder of Yore Children, Chicago
I think that Pope Leo XIV should ask all of the world's Bishops to join him in a Solemn Consecration of Russia, specifically and alone, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, begging forgiveness for the sins of the world and establishing the devotion of Five First Saturdays in reparation.
Donna F. Bethell, JD, USA
I think it a necessary idea to request the consecration of Russia by the new pope.
Pope Pius XII once consecrated the world to her Immaculate Heart during WWII. Years later St. Lucia was asked about the effectiveness of this consecration. She said that it did not meet Heaven's request, but it did win grace to shorten the war. The history of the request for the consecration, made in 1929, shows that Our Lord Himself appeared to Sr. Lucia in Rianjo in 1931 and complained that the consecration was not done. He said:
Make it known to My ministers, given that they follow the example of the King of France in delaying the execution of My command, they will follow him into misfortune. It is never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary.
They did not wish to heed My request! … Like the King of France they will repent of it, and they will do it, but it will be late. Russia will have already spread its errors in the world, provoking wars and persecutions against the Church. The Holy Father will have much to suffer.
The popes have ignored the conditions set by Our Blessed Mother to consecrate Russia properly to her Immaculate Heart. Several popes have made incomplete consecrations, but the world, and the Church, have fallen ever further into sin and decay.
The intermediate, incomplete consecrations, like the one of Pope Pius XII, may have won certain graces for the world [...], but they did not satisfy the request.
The efforts to obtain a valid consecration should not be abandoned.
Here are the words of the consecration by Pope Francis from the Vatican website:
Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine. Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The “Fiat” that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.
At Rianjo, on June 13th, 1929. Our Lady said to Sr. Lucia, "The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. So numerous are the souls which the justice of God condemns for sins committed against Me, that I come to ask for reparation. Sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray."
There are two problems with Pope Francis's consecration.
First, all of the bishops of the world were not commanded to offer the consecration together, in their own dioceses or wherever they were at the time, in union with the pope. They were merely invited to do so. This was an especially egregious omission since Pope Francis was so high on collegiality and synodality. One wonders why he did not have all the bishops make this consecration together with him.
Second, while this is the first papal consecration to actually mention Russia, not just the world, in this consecration Russia is named, almost as an afterthought. The consecration by Pope Francis lists first "ourselves," next the "Church," then "all humanity," and finally "Russia and Ukraine." Then Pope Francis follows up with "we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world." Even in this summary, Russia is left out altogether. For a consecration of Russia, this entrustment is very watered down. It hardly meets the "expectations of every people" to have Russia consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to bring about a promised conversions of Russia and a true period of peace to the world.
One thing the pope did get correct was that he made his solemn entrustment and consecration to her Immaculate Heart.
Deacon Eugene McGuirk, Virginia
An appeal to Pope Leo XIV to make a consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary must absolutely insist that such a consecration this time really fulfills without exception all the requirements that Mary demanded in Fatima. No compromises must be made. [Otherwise we could not] be one hundred percent sure that all the criteria requested by the Blessed Mother have actually been fulfilled.
[...] This time the Pope must not bow to any doubters. This time he must finally fulfil all the Fatima criteria exclusively and without compromise. This time the consecration must finally be “watertight.” The slightest ambiguity about the fulfillment of all the wishes expressed by Mary must not be possible. There must be no more piecemeal work and scrambling. Otherwise, it can be left alone. The egg dances performed so far around this consecration are unworthy, embarrassing, and ridiculous. What Peter and the other apostles said to the high council still applies: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)., no residual doubt about the fulfillment of the requirements must remain.
Not one of the consecrations that have taken place to date has indisputably fulfilled Mary's requests. There was always room for discussion, there was always at least a gray area of residual doubt and ambiguity.
Mary's conditions, to which she tied the success of the act of consecration, are few and not at all complicated. Rather, they are simple, clearly formulated and easy to fulfill: The Pope, together with all the bishops of the Catholic Church, may consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart.
This means in detail:
- The act of consecration must be performed by the Pope personally and together with all the Catholic bishops of the world without exception.
- It must be a separate act of consecration, the object of which is Russia alone.
- Russia must be expressly and specifically named as the object of the consecration.
- Russia must be expressly and specifically consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Gottfried Paschke, retired university teacher of mathematics and philosophy
I think that would be good! I am not very hopeful with Pope Leo XIV. I hope he becomes a Thomas Becket. .. It would be interesting to see if he accepts this proposal.
Professor Carlos Casanova
Jesus told us about our need to pray always and not to lose heart (Lu 18:1). It would be beautiful if Pope Leo XIV could do the Consecration of Russia including the introduction of the five Saturdays of reparation to the Immaculate Heart.
Adrie van der Hoeven, http://www.jesusking.info
Thanks for your important initiative concerning the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I’ve been working in Zambia for 17 years. In our new mission of St. Leo the Great, we do observe the First Saturday devotions revealed by our Lady of Fatima.
I’m very much convinced that what is happening in the world such huge turmoil is part of the spiritual battle. We should not panic because we’ve received the weapons to overcome whatever evils we face. The best thing we can do for peace in the world is to pray for the conversion of Russia and to make reparation to the Immaculate Heart in these first Saturday devotions.
I’m sure that newly elected Pope Leo XIV will understand the request.
Fr. Michael Matysik,
Polish Fidei Donum Missionary in Zambia
I think your idea is good. But I would limit myself to asking the Pope to repeat the Consecration in its simplest form, i.e. exclusively dedicated to the conversion of Russia (to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, if I remember well, in spiritual union with all the bishops) in the due form requested by the Holy Virgin, without adding anything else. After all, no Pope has so far consecrated Russia the way the Holy Virgin wanted; they have always added or omitted something.
Professor Paolo Pasqualucci, Italy
I am not sure if it is too late, but you can include my name Luis Roman (theologian, host, and producer of the program Conoce Ama Y Vive Tu Fe) [in your petition].
God bless you
Luis D Roman
I think it would be excellent if Pope Leo XIV were to consecrate Russia. That would be a strong sign not only with regard to Russia, but also with regard to the corrupt "West,” which is also waging many wars: against unborn children, against marriage and the family, against the natural genders, etc. In my opinion, it would also be important if the Pope were to officially introduce the Five First Saturday devotion in the Church.
Albert Paliot, Trier, Germany
