As war rages in Ukraine, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary during a penitential celebration on March 25, 2022, in St. Peter’s Basilica, announced the Vatican press office on March 15. March 25 if the feast of the Annunciation.
The same day from the sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal, the apostolic chaplain Cardinal Konrad Krajewski will also make the same consecration.
When Our Lady appeared at Fatima, she asked for the faithful to live the First Saturday devotions and for Russia to be consecrated to her. (See what these devotions involve, and why Mary singled out Russia, in the articles below.)
When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church.
The consecration was done by St. John Paul II, as Lucia, the visionary, confirmed. In 1989, Lucia wrote that the consecration “has been done just as Our Lady asked, on March 25, 1984.”
Renewed consecrations
What is a Marian Consecration? It means “entrusting one’s body, soul, possessions, works, and entire life to the protection, guidance, and intercession of Our Lady.”
The history of this practice begins with Jesus Himself. He entrusted His beloved disciple, John, to his mother Mary while He was on the Cross (John 19:26-27). Meanwhile, Christians have asked Mary to pray for and help them since the earliest days of the Church.
The act of consecrating oneself to Jesus’ Mother became more formal in the 1600s:
Consecrations, of oneself or of a family, or in this case, countries, can be repeated and renewed as often as the faithful wish.
An act of consecration means a spiritual entrustment and many Catholics consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart, to St. Joseph, to the Archangel Michael, as well as to Our Lady or even other saints.
[This article was updated after initial publication]
And today we celebrate...