"THE 3 SEERS".
In september 1917, three young shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco also called "the 3 seers"—in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal from May to October 1917, received three revelations from St. Mary. (or was it the Holy Spirit?) She appeared unto them in the fields outside of their village Fatima. As young as they were, they were even persecuted by their own village and clergy, and at one time even locked up to prevent them from going out in the fields.
The last time when they said they were going to see a vision of Mary, many thousands of people followed them, wanting to witness the vision. Only the 3 children saw Maria, nobody else, but a strange phenomenon occurred, in that the sun actually started "dancing" in the sky and it "rained" flowers! This phenomena is known as the "miracle of the sun."
The children also received visions about how and when they would die, which was fulfilled in the case of two of them, as the last of them, Lucia, is still alive as of today, December 1999. All of the Popes since the Fatima Miracle have recognized the Message as authentic. Several of them have gone to Fatima in person, including Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II.—John Paul II saying at Fatima in 1982 that "the Message of Fatima imposes an obligation on the Church."
Many miraculous cures have taken place since, which science cannot explain by natural means, not just on October 13, 1917, at the time of the Miracle of the Sun, but down through the years until the present day. This also, claims the Catholic Church, authenticates the Fatima Message as coming from God.

THREE PREDICTIONS
The Message of Fatima accurately predicted in 1917 all of the following events which came to pass:
(1) The end of World War I in 1918;
(2) The emergence of Russia as a world power which would "spread its errors (including Communism) throughout the world ... raising up wars and persecutions against the Church";
(3) The election of a Pope who would be named Pius XI;
(4) The waging of a second World War following a strange light in the night sky.

The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the request of Mary at Fatima is not honored,
"many souls will be lost",
"the Holy Father will have much to suffer",
"there will be further wars and persecutions of the Church" and
"various nations will be annihilated."

Full annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, although many more instances of genocide haven taken place since in Cambodia, Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Many fear though that it will fully happen in the very last days, during the last 3½ years, given the growing AC opposition against God and His children and corruption of the world, during the "Great Tribulation"

The second prediction that Russia which had become Communist, would "turn to Christianity", began to take place after "the fall of Communism" in 1989, when an unprecedented wave of Christian interest hit the former Soviet Union! As a result, there are MORE CHRISTIANS IN RUSSIA NOW, than there EVER WERE!

THE LAST "SECRET" PREDICTION
This is why many believe that the last SECRET prediction will be fulfilled as well! The only problem is that it has been kept secret for over 80 years! Lucia, the only surviving one of the three children, gave the Vatican a sealed letter containing the third prediction. This last prediction is purported to be about the end of the (Catholic?) Church, that being the reason WHY the revelation has been kept secret in Roman Catholic Church archives, as Catholics interpret it to mean the end of just their Church, whereas the Bible predicts and indicates that the Endtime will bring an end of the temporal, financial, organisational and political power of ALL churches.