The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 5 (191), 1621—1632
UDK 27-312.47-587.6(469-21)
- Received: 07.08.2026
- Accepted: 01.09.2026
- Published: ??.??.2026
THE FATIMA APPARITION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHURCH’S DISCERNMENT OF PRIVATE REVELATIONS: THEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL-RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONS
MARKO s. Stefania Natalia
- ORСID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5007-7899
- STD, Doctor of Theology,
- Associate Professor,
- Department of Theology,
- Ukrainian Catholic University,
- 17, Il. Sventsitsky Str., Lviv, Ukraine,
- Contacts: e-mail: markons@ucu.edu.ua
Abstract. The purpose of the article is to provide a comprehensive study of the Fatima apparitions as a phenomenon of private revelation in its theological and cultural-religious dimensions, to analyze the evolution of the criteria for their ecclesiastical discernment, and to determine the role of Fatima spirituality in the life of the Church, particularly within the contemporary Ukrainian context.
The chronological scope of the research extends from 1917, when the Fatima apparitions began, to 2025, the contemporary reception of the Fatima message in the context of the war in Ukraine.
The object of the research is the Fatima apparitions as a component of the system of private revelations in the Catholic Church.
The subject of the research is the theological nature of the Fatima apparitions, their ecclesiastical discernment, and their influence on religious culture and popular piety.
The relevance of the research is determined by two key factors. First, the normative factor: the promulgation in May 2024 of the new Norms of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which introduced a revised approach to the evaluation of alleged supernatural phenomena by emphasizing their spiritual fruits (Nihil obstat). Second, the socio-political factor: the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, in the context of which the Fatima call to prayer for peace and conversion has acquired particular existential significance for Ukrainian society and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC).
The research employs historical-genetic, theological-hermeneutical, comparative-analytical, and case-study methods.
Keywords: Fatima, public revelation, private revelations, ecclesiastical discernment, nihil obstat, prayer, Rosary, Immaculate Heart of Mary, UGCC.
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