Los papas y Fátima: de Pío XII a León XIV

Marian devotion

John Paul II in Fatima, or the image of Our Lady of Fatima crowned. The photographs of vatican.va are NOT for free use: you need to search for a verified free license image
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How this page is made

Every statement here has been read on the downloaded text of vatican.vaNot about repertory. In the end there is a list of lon if NO blood pressure could be checked and that therefore No publication, even if it runs everywhere.

⚠️ Technical warning for those following the links: in vatican.va there are pages that return HTTP 200 with empty text. It's checked in Signum Magnum in Spanish (200, but only 670 characters, without text) and in two encyclics of Pius XII in Spanish. In such cases we have to go to the Italian, Portuguese or Latin version, and this is the case here.

PIO XII (1939-1958) - "The Pope of Fatima"

On May 13, 1917: the data is true, and is accredited

It is always repeated that Eugenio Pacelli was the same day as the first apparition of Fatima. It's true.and it is on two separate tracks:

1) He says so himself., in the radiomensage of 13 May 1942"by the XXV of the Episcopal consecration of the Holy Father":

... "the memory of our episcopal consecration, now received 25 years agofrom the hands of a venerated and unforgettable Predecessor our... "
... "twenty-five years ago he carried the magnanimous heart of the One who, with the laying of hands on the altar of the Sistine ChapelHe made us the gift of the fullness of the priesthood... "
— https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/it/speeches/1942/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19420513_consacrazione-episcopale.html (HTTP 200, texto íntegro).

2) John Paul II says it in Fatimaon 13 May 1982:

... "the Servant of God Pius XII (whose episcopal ordination had taken place precisely on 13 May 1917), who wanted to consecrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the human race and especially to the peoples of Russia. "

Honest Matiz: la official biography de Pius XII en vatican.va only says that "in that same year" (1917) he was appointed titular archbishop of Sardes and nuncio in Munich: does not give date of 13 May. The date is credited by the two documents above, not by the biography.

The consecration of 1942

El 31 October 1942by radio and in Portuguese, Pius XII consecrated the Church and the human genus to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and solemnly renewed it on December 8. Neither of the two texts appoints Russia: will do so in 1952. All this is documented, cross-checked, on the page "Russia and consecration".

The Coronation of the Image: May 13, 1946

On that day, in Fatima, the image of Our Lady was crowned on behalf of the Popethrough a legacy. Pius XII explained it on radio that same day, in the message that begins Blessed Seja:

... "and you wanted to give him a sensitive expression condensing and symbolizing him in that precious crownthe fruit of so many generities and sacrifices, with which, by the hand of our legacy cardinal, we have just crowned the image taumaturga.»
— https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/pt/speeches/1946/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19460513_fatima.html (HTTP 200). Publicado en AAS 38 (1946), p. 264.

And in that same text he left a doctrinal formulation that is valid for this whole module:

"Jesus is King of the eternal centuries by nature and by conquest; by him, with him, subordinate to him, Mary is Queen by grace, by divine kinship, by conquest, by unique choice. "

Read well: "subordinate to Him." The coronation text itself places the royalty of Mary in dependence on that of Christ. Selling Mary is never to compete with God.

The appointment of the legacy is in the Latin Apostolic Letter Celeberrima sollemniaaddressed to the Cardinal Benedict Aloisi Maselle:

... "we choose you and we name our legacy, so that in the Shrine of Fatima adornes with gold diadem, in Our name and with Our authoritythe venerated image of the blessed Mary. "

⚠️ Two corrections to this letter: (1) is of 28 April 1946Sunday in Albis, No of 13 May; (2) is in * * * ASA * 38 (1946), p. 376, not in the circulating p. 263 (p. 264 is the radiomensage). No HTML page in vatican.va * *: has been read about the OCR facsimile of its own Acta Apostolicae Sedis Stayed in vatican.va.

And a relationship that doesn't exist

In some cases Pius XII is given a document on the Mariano Year 1954 related to Fatima. The encyclical that calls that Marian Year is Fulgens crown (8 September 1953); and no menciona Fátima ni un solo vez (comprobado con grep sobre el texto italiano completo: 0 apariciones). This module does not establish that relationship.

JUAN XXIII (1958-1963)

Their most well-known intervention is negative: the August 17, 1959 He read the third part of the secret and decided no publicarla. It is said by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith itself, citing its diary: "Let us hope. I'll pray. I'll let you know what you decide."

But there is something else, and it is a little known text: the Letter to the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon of October 8, 1961on the occasion of the second national pilgrimage from Portugal to Fatima. It is published in vatican.va in Spanish:

"We can imagine the spiritual ardor that prepares the Second National Pilgrimage of Portugal to Fatima and we exulate thinking of the crowds that will gather on those heights where it seems that the Most Holy Virgin erected the throne of her mercies.»

"This is Mary's mission of goodness and mercy: to direct and exhort his devotees to the path that leads to Jesus Christ the Savior by means of a sincere amendment... "
— https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/es/letters/1961/documents/hf_j-xxiii_let_19611008_fatima.html (HTTP 200).

Again, and from the lips of another Pope: Mary's mission is to lead to Christ. Intercession, not worship.

(Barrido realized: index of letters, apostolic letters, homilies, speeches and messages by John XXIII, 1959-1963. This is the only entry with "Fatima.")

PABLO VI (1963-1978)

The pilgrimage of May 13, 1967

Paul VI was the first Pope to pilgrim to Fatimaon the fiftieth anniversary of the apparitions. He himself explained the double anniversary:

... "we have come, humble and confident pilgrims, to this blessed sanctuary, the 50th anniversary of the apparitions of Fatima and the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.»
— Homilía del 13 de mayo de 1967: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/pt/homilies/1967/documents/hf_p-vi_hom_19670513.html (HTTP 200).

He went to ask two thingsand they should be said because they are not the ones that are often told:

The primer, the paz interior de la Iglesia in the post-conciliate shake:

"How bad it would be if an arbitrary interpretation, not authorized by the Magisterium of the Church, transformed this spiritual rebirth in a concern that would disaggregate its traditional and constitutional structure…»

The second, the peace of the world:

"For this reason, We have come to the feet of the Queen of Peace to ask for peace, gift that only God can give.»

Note again the precision: peace is a gift that only God can giveMary is asked as Queen of Peace, that is, is asked to intercede.

And he also prayed for countries without religious freedom:

«…in those countries where religious freedom is practically suppressed and where the denial of God is promotedas if it represented the truth of new times and the liberation of peoples. But the truth is quite different. We pray for those countries... "

It's the closest thing to an allusion to the Soviet bloc, but does not name Russia or the Soviet Union. He is not attributed here a mention he did not make.

Signum Magnumof the same day

On May 13, 1967, he also issued the Apostolic exhortation Signum Magnum"on the need to venerate and imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and example of all virtues." The link with Fatima is explicit in its first line:

«On the occasion of the religious ceremonies held these days in Fatima, Portugalin honor of the Virgin Mother of God... "

And it contains a sentence that this module makes its own:

... "it must not be feared that the increase of veneration, liturgical or private, given to it, may obscure or diminish the veneration veneration given to the incarnate Wordas well as the Father and the Holy Spirit. "

⚠️ The Italian, Portuguese or Latin version should be used when linking this document. La ruta /es/ devuelve HTTP 200 with empty page.

JUAN PABLO I (26 de agosto – 28 de septiembre de 1978)

In the 33 days of his pontificate there is no document of his on Fatima in vatican.vaAnd his official biography doesn't mention it either. (Smashed from its indices of angelus, audiences, speeches, homilies, letters, messages and apostolic letters: 0 apparitions of "Fatima.")

It is often counted that Albino Luciani traveled to Fatima and visited Sister Lucia in Coimbra in July 1977, being a patriarch of Venice. This module says no lo: not in vatican.va, we have not read the original source, and there is also date discrepancy between versions of the Shrine's own pages. If one day it is checked on the document, it is added.

JUAN PABLO II (1978-2005)

He is the Pope whose biography was most linked to Fatima, and he himself established the bond.

The attack of 13 May 1981

He says, in Fatima, a year later:

«I come here today because on this very day of the month, last year, there was, in St. Peter's Square in Rome, the attack on the life of the Pope, which mysteriously coincided with the anniversary of the first apparition in Fatima, which took place on May 13, 1917.»
- Homily of 13 May 1982 (HTTP 200, Portuguese and Italian text).

And he remembers it in the beatification of the pastures:

"And I wish once again to celebrate the goodness that the Lord had with me, when, seriously injured that 13 May 1981, I was saved from death.»
- Homily of 13 May 2000.

⚠️ The exact time of the attack - is always repeated "17: 19" - We have not read it in any source of the Holy See. It's not published here.

The sentence on the bullet: the true and the false

❌ It is not true the phrase that circulates everywhere"One hand shot and another led the bullet." That phrase, as it does, does not exist in Vatican sources. It's a divulgative paraphrase.

✅ What John Paul II really saidand the Holy See itself quotes it three times in the 2000 document:

«a mother's hand led the path of the bullet, and the dying Pope stopped at the threshold of death.»
— Juan Pablo II, Meditation from the Gemelli Police to the Italian Bishops, 13 May 1994 (Teaching, vol. XVII / 1, 1994, p. 1061), cited in Cardinal Sodano's communiqué of 13 May 2000 and in Cardinal Ratzinger's theological comment.

And what Ratzinger adds to the line is worth mentioning, because it prevents the fatalistic reading:

«Que una «mano materna» haya desviado la bala mortal muestra sólo una vez más que there is no immutable destination…»

The bullet in the crown: what is credited and what is not

What the Holy See officially saysby Cardinal Sodano in Fatima on May 13, 2000:

"On the occasion of a visit to Rome of the then Bishop of Leiria- Fatima, the Pope decided to give him the bullet, which was left in the jeep after the attack, to be kept in the Sanctuary. At the Bishop's initiative, it was then set in the crown of the image of the Virgin of Fatima.»

⚠️ What the Holy See does NOT say, and therefore here neither: neither the date of the delivery, nor the date of the setting, nor the name of the bishop, nor who did so materially. All of that circulates with specific dates and names that are not included in the official text. (On the fact that the setting was made in 1989, see the site guide page, where the source of the Sanctuary is quoted.)

His three pilgrimages to Fatima

Date	Occupation
13 May 1982	A year after the attack. "Consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means to approach, through the intercession of the Mother, the Source of Life itself, born in the Golgotha.»
13 May 1991	Tenth anniversary of the attack. Homily on Man and the Cross ("What is man?»)
13 May 2000	Beatification of Francisco and Jacinta and announcement of the publication of the secret

⚠️ Control data, not to attribute to him what he didn't say: la homilía del 13 May 1991 does not mention the attack or any consecration (comprobado con grep: 0 apariciones de «1981», «atentado», «consagra», «Coração Imaculado» y «Rússia»).

Y el 25 March 1984in the square of St. Peter and with the image of Fatima brought to Rome, he made the act of giving and consecration of the world, in union with the bishops previously called. This act, its scope and the controversy it is carrying out have its own page: "Russia and consecration".

BENEDICTO XVI (2005-2013)

Peregrinó a Portugal del 11-14 May 2010on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the beatification of the pastoralists.

What he said on the plane, on his way to Portugal (May 11, 2010)

Asked whether the suffering of today's Church - sexual abuse of minors - fit into Fatima's vision, he replied:

«The novelty that we can discover today in this message lies in the fact that attacks on the Pope and the Church not only come from outside, but the sufferings of the Church come precisely from within the Church, from the sin in the Church. This too has always been known, but today we see it in a really tremendous way: that the greatest persecution of the Church does not come from external enemies, but is born from sin in the Church and that the Church therefore has a deep need to learn penance again, to accept purification, to learn, on the one hand, forgiveness, but also the need for justice. Forgiveness does not replace justice.»
—

https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/es/speeches/2010/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20100511_portogallo-interview.html

(HTTP 200).

And in the same conversation, about the core of the message:

«…the response of Fatima has not to do substantially with particular devotions, but with the fundamental response, that is, permanent conversion, penance, prayer, and the three theological virtues: faith, hope and charity.»

Keep that sentence. It is the best vaccine against the sensationalist fatigue, and it is said by a Pope who, as a Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith, had signed the theological commentary to the secret.

The sentence of 13 May 2010

In the homily of the Shrine:

Original portugués: «It would be deluded who thought the prophetic mission of Fatima was complete.»
Official translation of the Holy See into Spanish: «The one who thinks Fatima's prophetic mission is over is wrong.»
— https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/es/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20100513_fatima.html (HTTP 200).

⚠️ Citation accuracy: Circulates the version a lot "would be fooled by anyone who thought that Fatima's prophetic mission is complete. "It's a valid translation of Portuguese, but it is not the one that publishes the Holy See in Spanish. If it is intertwined in Spanish, you have to use the official; if you prefer the other, you have to quote the Portuguese and say that the translation is your own.

And the day before, 12 May 2010in the church of the Most Holy Trinity, he consecrated the priests to the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

"Immaculate Mother, in this place of grace, summoned by the love of your Son Jesus, the High and Eternal Priest, we, children in the Son and his priests, consecrate ourselves to your maternal heart, to faithfully fulfill the will of the Father.»

FRANCISCO (2013-2025)

The delivery act of October 13, 2013

In St. Peter's Square, with the pilgrim image of Fatima present - the text itself says - at the end of the Mass of the Mariana Day of the Year of Faith:

«Blessed Virgin Mary of Fatimawith renewed gratitude for your maternal presence we join our voice with that of all generations who call you blessed. [...] Welcomes with Mother's benevolence the act of consecration that we do today with confidence, to this image of you so loved by us.»

And the closure, which puts back the compass:

... "gather all under your protection and give them all to your divine Son, the Lord our Jesus.»

The pilgrimage of 12-13 May 2017: the centenary and the canonization

«Tenemos una Madre, una «Very beautiful lady«, comentaban entre ellos los videntes de Fátima mientras regresaban a casa, on that blessed 13 May a hundred years ago. Y, por la noche, Jacinta no pudo contenerse y reveló el secreto a su madre: «Hoy he visto a la Virgen«.»

And two phrases that should chair any page about Fatima:

«The Virgin Mother did not come here for us to see.For this we shall have all eternity, provided that we go to heaven, of course. "

"Fatima is above all this Light blanket that covers us... when we take refuge under the protection of the Virgin Mother to ask, as the Salve Regina, «Show us Jesus.«.»

- Homily of canonization, 13 May 2017 (HTTP 200).

The act of consecration of 25 March 2022

In the Basilica of St. Peter, he consecrated to the Immaculate Heart "our people, the Church and the whole humanity, Russia and Ukraine. "It is, with the Apostolic Letter of Pius XII of 1952, one of the only two pontifical texts that name Russia. Detail and collation, on the page "Russia and consecration".

LEON XIV (since 2025)

The 8 May 2025; incitement of the Petrine Ministry, 18 May 2025.

What is verified about Fatima is its General hearing of 13 May 2026whose catechesis he dedicated to the Virgin Mary - within the cycle on the constitution Lumen gentium- and in whose greetings he said to the English-speaking pilgrims:

«Today we remember the memory of Our Lady of Fatima. On this day, forty-five years ago, he attacked the life of Pope John Paul II, and for these reasons I have dedicated my catechesis today to the Blessed Virgin Mary.»

And to the Portuguese-speaking pilgrims:

«On this day, the liturgical feast of the Virgin Mary of Fatima, we direct our eyes to the Sanctuary, where Our Lady gave the three pastors a message of peace. [...] We entrust to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the cry of peace and harmony that rises from all parts of the world, especially the peoples afflicted by war.»
— https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/it/audiences/2026/documents/20260513-udienza-generale.html (HTTP 200). Translation of the official Italian and Portuguese text.

⚠️ Dos avisos. (1) La Spanish version of that document does not contain the word "Fatima": the mentions are in Portuguese and English greetings. It should not be written "Lion XIV said in Spanish...." (2) We have not found any pilgrimage of his to Fatima or any document of his own on the sanctuary.but the sweep was made by index title, not document to document: there may be mention in greetings of other texts. Here it is said that no haya dicho is not bad.

LOMA ESTA PAGNA NO DICE, Y PORGUE

List of very repeated data no publicamos because we have not been able to verify them on the text:

1. «One hand shot and another led the bullet": the phrase no so in the Vatican sources. We used the check.

2. The attribution of that sentence to Don and mystery: no comprobada.

3. La date of the bullet setting in the crown According to the Holy See: the official text does not give a date.

4. La date of delivery of the bullet to the bishop: idem.

5. El name of the bishop de Leiria-Fátima that took the initiative: the official text does not name it.

6. Who put the bullet in material form: no consta.

7. La time of attack 1981: not read at the source of the Holy See.

8. La visit of Albino Luciani to Fatima in 1977: is not in vatican.va and there is discrepancy of dates.

9. Una supuesta Letter from Pius XII on the Holy Year of Mariano linked to FatimaIt does not exist; Fulgens crown no menciona Fátima.

10. Que Lion XIV has not spoken of Fatima again: no document has been obtained.

11. The full text of the Meditation to Gemelli 1994: has no own page located in vatican.va; what is verified is the quote inside of the document of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

If any of these data is further verified on the document, it is added to this page with its source. In the meantime, no se.

Sources of this page

Todas comprobadas con curl el 21 de septiembre de 2026 (prefijo https://www.vatican.va):

Pope	Document	Date	Route
Pius XII	Radio for the XXV of his episcopal consecration	13-V-1942	`/content/pius-xii/it/speeches/1942/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19420513_consacrazione-episcopale.html`
Pius XII	Radiomensage to Portugal (consecration)	31-X-1942	`/content/pius-xii/pt/speeches/1942/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19421031_immaculata.html`
Pius XII	Radiomensaje Blessed Seja (coronation)	13-V-1946	`/content/pius-xii/pt/speeches/1946/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19460513_fatima.html`
Pius XII	Letter Celeberrima sollemnia al cardenal legacy	28-IV-1946	`/archive/aas/documents/AAS-38-1946-ocr.pdf` (AAS 38, p. 376)
Juan XXIII	Carta al cardenal patriarca de Lisboa	8-X-1961	`/content/john-xxiii/es/letters/1961/documents/hf_j-xxiii_let_19611008_fatima.html`
Pablo VI	Homily in Fatima (fiftieth anniversary)	13-V-1967	`/content/paul-vi/pt/homilies/1967/documents/hf_p-vi_hom_19670513.html`
Pablo VI	Signum Magnum (usar IT, PT o LA)	13-V-1967	`/content/paul-vi/it/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19670513_signum-magnum.html`
Juan Pablo II	Homilía en Fátima	13-V-1982	`/content/john-paul-ii/pt/homilies/1982/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19820513_fatima.html`
Juan Pablo II	Homilía en Fátima	13-V-1991	`/content/john-paul-ii/pt/homilies/1991/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19910513_fatima.html`
Juan Pablo II	Homily of beatification	13-V-2000	`/content/john-paul-ii/es/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000513_beatification-fatima.html`
Santa Sede (CDF)	"The message of Fatima" (includes the statement of Sodano)	26-VI-2000	`/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_sp.html`
Benedict XVI	Words to journalists on the flight	11-V-2010	`/content/benedict-xvi/es/speeches/2010/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20100511_portogallo-interview.html`
Benedict XVI	The act of consecration of priests	12-V-2010	`/content/benedict-xvi/es/prayers/documents/hf_ben-xvi_20100512_affidamento-fatima.html`
Benedict XVI	Homily at the Shrine's Esplanade	13-V-2010	`/content/benedict-xvi/es/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20100513_fatima.html`
Francisco	Mariana Day and Consecration Act	13-X-2013	`/content/francesco/es/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20131013_omelia-giornata-mariana.html`
Francisco	Homily of the canonization in Fatima	13-V-2017	`/content/francesco/es/homilies/2017/documents/papa-francesco_20170513_omelia-pellegrinaggio-fatima.html`
Lion XIV	General Audience (greetings to Fatima)	13-V-2026	`/content/leo-xiv/it/audiences/2026/documents/20260513-udienza-generale.html`

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