The Fatima Message 209In 1974, while this book was being written, more than
sixteen years had passed since the message, sealed and
guarded, waited the 1960 date to be opened. The world
was shocked when the time came and went and the
Vatican remained silent about the whole affair. The
most alarming rumors started circulating. It was said
that Pope John XXIII, and some high priests of the
Vatican, upon learning the awful contents in the form of
prophecies, decided not to reveal them at the designated
time.
It was also said that the message had been made
available to a few chiefs of state, Dwight D. Eisenhower,
for one. It was given to them under the most top secret
circumstances. The purpose was to slow down the arms
race among the nations competing for superior military
power in the world.
It has been rumored that John F. Kennedy, the first
Catholic president in the United States, was informed of
the contents of the Fatima message, but this has never
been verified.
An Italian newspaper, called STOP, was hit by a bomb
on the very same day it had demanded the publication of
the Fatima message.
The publisher, Renzo Baschera, a well known Italian
professor from Torino, claimed that he had managed to
get a copy of the text of the message because of certain
"diplomatic leaks." He felt that "in good faith the Chris
tian world should know about these prophecies in order to
avoid their fulfillment."
Reliable sources reported that when Pope Pius XII read
the Fatima message, he started crying without consola
tion, and that Pope John XXIII fainted upon reading it.
It's understandable why they decided to keep the
message from the news media. Not only did this heavenly
message prophesy the end of the world in fire, smoke,