Sister Lucia on Fatima. (Vatican).

Vatican--Sister Maria Lucia has said that the secret of Fatima does not refer to the September 11 terrorist attacks, that its contents have been completely revealed by the Holy See, and that Russia has been consecrated to the Virgin Mary, as Our Lady requested.

The sole survivor of the visionaries of the Marian apparitions made this statement November 17, to Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The content of the meeting between the Vatican aide and the elderly visionary, held at her convent in Coimbra, Portugal, was published by the Vatican Press Office on December 20, 2001.

The text of the document states: "In recent months, especially following the sad events of the September 11 terrorist attacks, articles appeared in newspapers alleging new revelations by Sister Lucia, announcements of letters of warning to the Pope, and apocalyptic reinterpretations of the Fatima message. Moreover, emphasis was placed on the suspicion that the Holy See had not published the entire text of the third part of the secret, and some 'Fatimist' movements have repeated the accusation that the Holy Father has yet to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary" (emphasis ours).

The Vatican note clarifies that it was therefore thought necessary that Archbishop Bertone go personally "to clarify and obtain direct information from the visionary." The meeting was held in the presence of Father Luis Kondor, vice postulator of the causes of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta, and of the prioress of St. Teresa's Carmelite convent.

The conversation took place on the afternoon of November 17, and lasted more than two hours. "Sister Lucia, who will be 95 on March 22, was in great form--lucid and vivacious," the Vatican envoy said.

The meeting addressed the question of the third part of the secret of Fatima. The Portuguese religious said that she had read "carefully and meditated on the fascicle published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and confirms everything that is written," the Vatican statement noted.

When the Archbishop explained that there are doubts that part of the secret remains unknown, Sister Lucia replied: "Everything has been published; there are no more secrets. If I had received new revelations, I would not have communicated them to anyone, but I would have told them directly to the Holy Father,"

The group then spoke about the statements of Father Nicholas Gruner, a Canadian priest suspended "a divinis," who is collecting signatures insisting that the Pope finally consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and alleging that this has never been done. Sister Lucia told the Archbishop: "The Carmel Community has rejected the forms for the collection of signatures. I have already said that the consecration requested by Our Lady was done in 1984, and it has been accepted in heaven."

Lastly, the conversation turned to Sister Lucia's book, The appeals of the Fatima message. The advice and appeals that correspond to Our Lady's wishes are there. "Prayer and penance, with great faith in God's power, will save the world," she said. Sister Lucia's book still has to be translated into English (Zenit, Dec. 20, 2001).