'The Sun started spinning faster like a wheel of fire': The 'divine visions' prophesying the fall of the USSR

Key Points:

• In May 1917, three Portuguese children claimed to have seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal, receiving three prophetic secrets, two of which were made public while the third was kept secret by the Vatican until 2000.
• The final apparition on 13 October 1917 was witnessed by thousands and became known as the Miracle of the Sun, with reports of unusual solar activity and miraculous healings, though its nature remains debated.
• The Fátima prophecies took on a political dimension during the Cold War, especially with their anti-communist messages linked to the prediction of communism's spread and collapse, gaining support from figures like Pope John Paul II.
• Pope John Paul II credited Our Lady of Fátima with saving his life after an assassination attempt in 1981 on the anniversary of the first apparition, further elevating the shrine's significance in anti-communist and religious circles.
• The long-secret "third secret" fueled conspiracy theories and intense public interest until its release in 2000, but the revelation was met with skepticism by some; nonetheless, the Fátima apparitions have had a lasting religious and cultural impact in Portugal and beyond.