http://www.boston.com/dailynews/354/world/Vatican_denies_Third_Secret_of:.shtml

Vatican denies Third Secret of Fatima foretold Sept. 11 attacks

By Associated Press, 12/20/2001 21:41

VATICAN CITY (AP) The Vatican sought Thursday to end speculation that the so-called Third Secret of Fatima foretold the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The secret had been kept under wraps for 83 years, leading some to speculate that it was so horrible no pope dared to reveal it.

But the Vatican did lift the secrecy during a visit by Pope John Paul II to Fatima, Portugal, two years ago, saying the secret had foretold the shooting of John Paul in 1981.

Speculation continued, however, that the Vatican failed to reveal the entire message, which was said to have been given to three shepherd children by the Virgin Mary in 1917.

A top Vatican official, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, said in a statement that after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon some publications had reported about alleged threats against the pope and of ''apocalyptic reinterpretations'' of the Fatima message.

Bertone said he met Nov. 17 with Sister Lucia dos Santos, the lone survivor of the Fatima children, at her Carmelite convent in Portugal.

He quoted the 94-year-old nun as saying, ''Everything has been published. There is nothing else secret.''

Asked about new revelations, Bertone said she replied:

''Nothing of that is true. If I had new revelations, I would not have said anything to anyone but the Holy Father.''

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001