VATICAN CITY — Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has said he never told anyone the publication of the “Third Secret of Fatima” in the year 2000 was incomplete, and has confirmed the document was published in its totality, the Vatican announced today.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the Holy See Press Office, regarding various recent reports on the “Third Secret of Fatima”:
“Several articles have appeared recently, including declarations attributed to Professor Ingo Dollinger according to which Cardinal Ratzinger, after the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima (which took place in June 2000), had confided to him that the publication was not complete.”
The Vatican Press Office statement continues: “In this regard, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI declares ‘never to have spoken with Professor Dollinger about Fatima’, clearly affirming that the remarks attributed to Professor Dollinger on the matter ‘are pure inventions, absolutely untrue’, and he confirms decisively that ‘the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima is complete’.”
Three children in Portugal saw apparition of the Virgin Mary six times between May and October 1917. According to one of the visionaries, Sr. Lúcia de Jesus Rosa Santos, on July 13, 1917, Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets, which she later wrote down and delivered to the Pope.
The third secret was not revealed with the other two. Pope John Paul II decided to publish it in the Jubilee Year 2000. The third secret was included in a document entitled the “Message of Fatima,” and was released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document was signed by then Secretary of the CDF, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone.
Joseph Ratzinger [now Pope emeritus Benedict XVI] served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1981-2005, under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.
Diane Montagna is Rome correspondent for Aleteia’s English edition.
