I’d like to clarify a few things and fix a few errors (I tried to edit the post but ran out of time…).
The OP mentions a specific news: consecrating the
pontificate.
He then mentions, separately: “Pope Francis may be the one to fulfil; Our Lady of Fatimas requests regarding the consecration of Russia.” This is because some consider that this consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart, in the specific manner requested by Our Lady. has never been done.
These are the words of one of the private revelations of 1917, part of the Second Secret of Fatima:
This war will end, but if men do not refrain from offending God, another and more terrible war will begin …] 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 good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."
We ought to recall that while these humble children were experiencing these visions in Portugal (beginning in May 1917), Russia was experiencing since February 1917 the communist revolution. The German Empire was dissolved in the German Revolution of 1918–1919. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement seized power in Italy.
After these apparitions, on a different private revelation (June 13, 1929), Our Lady would have told Sr. Lucy:
The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make, and to order that in union with him and at the same time, all the bishops of the world make the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart.
The Lord, in a separate private revelation on the same day, would have added:
They did not want to heed My request! Like the King of France they will repent and do it, but it will be late. Russia will have already spread its errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecution against the Church: the Holy Father will have much to suffer.
On August 19, 1931, in another private revelation, Our Lord told to Sister Lucy in Spain:
“make it known to My ministers that, given they follow the example of the King of France in delaying the execution My command, they will follow him also into misfortune”
In 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and created a totalitarian single-party state. Trouble began to ensue in China as well.
On 1936 Sr. Lucy wrote:
About the other questions, will it be convenient to insist in order to obtain the consecration of Russia? I answer in almost the same way as I answered at other times. I am sorry that it has not been done yet, but the same God who asked for it has permitted it.
I have spoken with Our Lord about the subject, and not too long ago I asked Him why He would not convert Russia without the Holy Father making that consecration. Jesus answered, 'Because I want My whole Church to acknowledge that consecration as a triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that it may extend its cult later on and put the devotion to this Immaculate Heart beside the devotion to My Sacred Heart.
“But, my God, the Holy Father probably will not believe me unless You Yourself move him with a special inspiration”
“The Holy Father! Pray very much for the Holy Father. He will do it [the consecration] but it will be late. Nevertheless, the Immaculate Heart of Mary will save Russia. It has been entrusted to Her.”
In 1936 began the Spanish Civil War. In 1937 began the Japanese invasion of China (leading to 20 million Chinese civilians dead, 200,000 alone massacred in Nanjing, until in 1949 the Communist Party took control of China). On September 1, 1939, World War II officially begun.
Finally, Pope Pius XII did do a consecration in October 31, 1942 (renewed in December 8, 1942 with a specific mention of Russia).
History acknowledges that it was in 1943 that the “Allies” began to defeat the “Axis”. World War II ended on September 2, 1945.
Under Pope John XXIII, on September 13 1959 all the bishops of Italy solemnly consecrated Italy to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Church recognized the Fatima apparitions, but no special consecration of the world or Russia took place.
Pope Paul VI renewed and expanded the Consecration on November 21, 1964, as mentioned.
On 13 May 1981 (day of Our Lady of Fatima) Pope John Paul II was shot.
We had the consecrations under his pontificate in 1982, 1983, 1984.
Recall that in the late 1980s, the constituent republics of the Soviet Union started legal moves towards potentially declaring sovereignty over their territories. On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall falls. On December 25, 1991, the USSR is dissolved.
Clearly many things have happened in history, interleaved with this great mystery. We could argue that to some degree it would seem too much of a coincidence that the solemn acts of consecration took place specifically before major historical turning points. Much suffering and much grace was experienced. We do not know what follows.
