Since June 24, 1981, the small village of Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a focal point of global attention due to reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary to six young visionaries. Known as the “Queen of Peace,” she has allegedly delivered messages emphasizing prayer, fasting, conversion, and peace, along with ten secrets concerning the future of the world. Among these messages, a prophecy given in November 1981 about Russia’s spiritual role has taken on striking significance in light of contemporary geopolitical conflicts involving Russia, Iran, and the United States. This article explores the Medjugorje phenomenon, the prophecy regarding Russia, and how current global tensions may signal the unfolding of these secrets.
The Medjugorje Apparitions: A Call to Peace
On June 24, 1981, two teenage girls, Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičević, reported seeing a radiant figure of a woman holding an infant on Podbrdo Hill (now Apparition Hill) in Medjugorje. Joined by four other children—Vicka Ivanković, Ivan Dragičević, Marija Pavlović, and Jakov Čolo—the visionaries claimed this was the Virgin Mary, who introduced herself as the “Queen of Peace.” The apparitions, which continue for some visionaries to this day, have drawn over 40 million pilgrims to this once-rural village, transforming it into a global center of Catholic devotion.
The Virgin Mary’s messages emphasize five key practices—prayer, fasting, Bible reading, confession, and the Eucharist—as spiritual tools to combat evil and foster peace. She has reportedly entrusted each visionary with ten secrets, described as future events involving chastisements, a permanent supernatural sign on Apparition Hill, and the ultimate triumph of her Immaculate Heart. While the Vatican has not fully endorsed the supernatural nature of these apparitions, a 2024 nihil obstat permits devotion to Medjugorje, and official pilgrimages were authorized in 2019, recognizing its spiritual fruits.
The Russia Prophecy of November 1981
On November 1, 1981, during the height of the Cold War, the Virgin Mary reportedly delivered a striking prophecy to the visionaries: “Russia will come to glorify God the most; the West has made civilization progress, but without God and acts as if they are their own creator.” This message, documented by Mariologist Father René Laurentin, came at a time when the Soviet Union was an atheist superpower, actively suppressing religion and having attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II just months earlier on May 13, 1981—a date coinciding with the anniversary of the Fatima apparitions.
This prophecy is particularly significant because it echoes the Virgin Mary’s messages at Fatima in 1917, where she warned of Russia’s “errors” (interpreted as communist atheism) spreading across the world unless it was consecrated to her Immaculate Heart. The Medjugorje visionaries have stated that their apparitions are a “continuation and fulfillment of Fatima,” suggesting a direct link between the two sets of revelations. The 1981 prophecy predicted a spiritual revival in Russia, an improbable claim at the time, given the Soviet Union’s anti-religious stance.
Geopolitical Tensions and the Medjugorje Secrets
The ten secrets entrusted to the visionaries are said to include events ranging from regional upheavals to global chastisements, with the third secret involving a visible, indestructible sign on Apparition Hill. While the secrets remain undisclosed, visionary Mirjana Dragičević-Soldo has hinted that they involve both tribulations and redemption, with some events already in motion. The prophecy about Russia’s spiritual revival aligns with current geopolitical developments, particularly the escalating tensions between Russia, Iran, and the United States, which some interpret as signs of the secrets unfolding.
Russia’s Spiritual Resurgence
Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has experienced a remarkable revival of Christianity, particularly through the Russian Orthodox Church. President Vladimir Putin has publicly embraced Christian symbolism, attending church services, venerating Marian icons, and promoting traditional values, often contrasting Russia’s faith-based identity with the secular West. This aligns with the 1981 prophecy, as Russia appears to be positioning itself as a defender of Christian values, a stark contrast to its Soviet-era atheism. However, Russia’s ongoing conflicts, such as the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, suggest that its “conversion” may be incomplete, potentially fulfilling Fatima’s warning of continued “errors” if humanity does not heed Mary’s call to prayer and repentance.
Conflicts Involving Russia, Iran, and the USA
Today’s geopolitical landscape is marked by heightened tensions that resonate with the apocalyptic undertones of Medjugorje’s secrets. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which escalated in 2022, has drawn global attention, with Russia’s actions seen by some as a precursor to broader chastisements foretold in the secrets. Meanwhile, Iran’s growing alignment with Russia, particularly in military cooperation, and its tensions with the United States over nuclear ambitions and Middle Eastern influence, add to the global instability. For instance, recent reports highlight Russia and Iran’s strategic partnerships, including arms deals, which have alarmed Western nations.
The United States, often critiqued in Medjugorje’s messages as part of a West that “acts as its own creator,” faces internal and external challenges, including cultural secularism and military engagements in regions like Syria. Some interpret these conflicts as aligning with the “upheaval of a region of the world” described in the first secret shown to Mirjana, which depicted a desolate earth due to humanity’s sins. The interplay of these powers—Russia’s resurgence, Iran’s ambitions, and the USA’s global influence—creates a volatile environment that some Catholic commentators see as a prelude to the events foretold in Medjugorje’s secrets.
The Fatima-Medjugorje Connection
The connection between Medjugorje and Fatima is critical to understanding the Russia prophecy. At Fatima, the Virgin Mary warned that Russia’s errors would spread unless it was consecrated, a request fulfilled by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Medjugorje’s 1981 message about Russia glorifying God suggests a continuation of this narrative, where Russia’s spiritual revival could lead to global redemption. However, the secrets also warn of chastisements if humanity does not convert, with Russia potentially playing a dual role as both a source of tribulation and salvation. The late Father Malachi Martin, who claimed to have read Fatima’s third secret, suggested that Russia would first spread communism’s errors but later “heal itself” and lead the world toward salvation, starting in Ukraine and Russia.
Interpreting the Signs
While the Vatican has not confirmed the supernatural nature of Medjugorje’s ongoing apparitions, the 2017 Ruini Commission recognized the first seven apparitions (June 24–July 3, 1981) as likely supernatural, and the spiritual fruits of Medjugorje—conversions, healings, and renewed faith—are undeniable. The Russia prophecy, delivered in a time of global tension, appears prescient given Russia’s religious resurgence and its central role in current conflicts. The visionaries’ warnings about the secrets, combined with messages urging prayer and fasting to avert chastisements, suggest that humanity’s response to these divine calls could shape the outcome of these events.
The ongoing conflicts involving Russia, Iran, and the USA, coupled with global moral and spiritual crises, resonate with the Virgin Mary’s warnings about humanity’s rejection of God. The Medjugorje messages emphasize that prayer and fasting can “stop wars” and “suspend natural laws,” offering hope that humanity can mitigate the severity of the secrets through spiritual renewal. As visionary Mirjana has stated, the significance of March 18—her annual apparition date—will become clear when the secrets unfold, potentially tying these events to global upheavals.
Conclusion
The Medjugorje apparitions, with their focus on peace and conversion, offer a spiritual lens through which to view today’s geopolitical turmoil. The 1981 prophecy about Russia glorifying God the most, given during the Soviet Union’s atheist era, has gained credibility with Russia’s Christian revival, yet its ongoing conflicts suggest a complex role in the unfolding of the ten secrets. As tensions between Russia, Iran, and the USA escalate, the messages of Medjugorje call for urgent prayer and repentance to avert chastisements and realize the promised triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Whether these events mark the beginning of the secrets remains speculative, but the parallels between the Virgin Mary’s warnings and today’s global crises invite reflection and action from those who heed her call.
Sources: Medjugorje.org, Catholic News Agency, Mystic Post, Patheos, MaryPages, EWTN, Tekton Ministries, Catholic Journeys, School of Faith, OurLadyWeeps.com.
