Glory to Jesus Christ ! Philothea, it is always good to hear from you. I will leave the discussion of OLG to Padova and Byzantino. On the other hand, Fatima was popular in America before the 1952 film. The Fatima message of daily prayer and repentance through devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, gained a large following among the Catholics of Portugal during WWI. Interest in the Mother of God of Fatima was fueled during WWII by 1) the publication of the July 1917 allocution of the Virgin. Here she accurately predicts the end of WWI and the beginning of WWII. These wars are Divine chastisements for the sins of mankind. A more enduring punishment was the rise of Soviet Russia and the spread of Communism from Russia to the entire world. Here the Theotokos requested the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. This consecration was to bring about the conversion of Russia and inaugurate an era of peace. She also requested spiritual renewal through repentance and daily prayer. 2)Hoping to hasten the end of WWII, Pope Pius XII responded in October 1942 with the consecration of the world, with a special allusion to Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin. Despite stiff Nazi opposition, several Catholic bishops followed suit, consecrating the world and their dioceses to the Immaculate Heart. I do not know if any Byzantine Catholic bishops were involved in this wartime consecration. After the war many Catholics, including the pope and many bishops, believed that this consecration shortened WWII sparing the Church from further Nazi persecution and saving countless lives. After WWII, with the spread of Communism, the persecution of the churches of Eastern Europe and East Asia and the threat of a Third World War, the message of Fatima gained even more adherents. The Blue Army, founded by an American, was formed during this period. Responding to a massive pilgrimage to Fatima, Pope Pius XII unilaterally consecrated Russia to the Immaculte Heart of Mary in July of 1952, on the Feast of SS Cyril and Methodios, Apostles to the Slavs. 1952 was the year of the release of the film "Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima." Byzantine Catholics heeded the call to prayer and repentance from the Theotokos of Fatima because 1) The pope called upon all Catholics to heed the call of the Theotokos. 2) Byzantines have such a strong devotion to the Mother of God. 3) Byzantine Slavs (Ruthenians, Ukrainans and Russians) were from lands( Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia) wherin the Church greatly suffered at the hands of Communist persecutors. 4) Russia had originally been converted to Christianity by Byzantine Catholic missionaries.

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-18-2000).]