The Awakening: Fr. Livio Fanzaga on What Triggers the Medjugorje Secrets

For decades, millions of faithful around the world have turned their eyes to a small village in Bosnia-Herzegovina, waiting for the unfolding of the Ten Secrets of Medjugorje. But for listeners of Radio Maria, the global Catholic radio network based in Italy, one voice has consistently offered a deep, theological roadmap of these upcoming events: Father Livio Fanzaga.

Fr. Livio, known for his direct, unyielding focus on Marian prophecy and modern spiritual warfare, has spent years analyzing the messages of the Queen of Peace. According to his extensive commentary, the world is currently living through a specific, highly intentional phase that serves as the immediate precursor to the Secrets.

What exactly does Fr. Livio believe will trigger the start of this prophetic timeline? It isn’t just a random date on a calendar; it is a profound spiritual clash manifesting in our daily reality.

1. The Global “General Rehearsal” of Control

Fr. Livio has frequently pointed out that the modern world is undergoing a form of systemic preparation—a “rehearsal”—for the intense period of trial described in the Secrets. He views recent global upheavals, widespread societal anxieties, and the centralization of institutional power not merely as secular shifts, but as a direct spiritual battleground.

In his view, a growing global dictatorship of materialism and anti-Christian sentiment is creating the very fractures that will bring humanity to its knees. As the world pushes God out of the public square, it sets the stage for a spiritual vacuum. It is precisely when mankind feels most self-sufficient—yet utterly controlled by global forces—that the structural breakdown will begin, forcing a confrontation with divine truth.

2. A Trial of Faith Within the Church

According to Fr. Livio, the timeline of the Secrets will not open in a vacuum; it will be catalyzed by a massive, unprecedented crisis of faith within the Catholic Church itself. He describes this as a trial “never before seen in history.”

The trigger will be a moment of extreme polarization, where the lines between true faith and secularized, false religion become entirely blurred. When the faithful feel standard spiritual foundations shaking, the manifestation of the Secrets will act as the ultimate sorting mechanism—separating those who rely on human institutions from those anchored in the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

3. The First Two Secrets: The Local Warning Catalyst

When the Secrets do begin, Fr. Livio emphasizes that they will start locally and serve as an immediate instructional template for the rest of the world.

The actual start will manifest through the First and Second Secrets, which are regional warnings deeply tied to Medjugorje itself. Fr. Livio describes these initial events as “dramatic” occurrences designed to shake humanity out of its spiritual lethargy. They will serve as an immediate, undeniable wakeup call, proving to a skeptical world that the supernatural reality is breaking through.

“The first two will be in Medjugorje; this will have to be an example of how to deal with secrets… Terrible things will happen, but Our Lady offers us the chance to save ourselves.” — Fr. Livio Fanzaga

The Permanent Sign and the Call to Action

Following these initial jolts, the timeline moves rapidly toward the Third Secret—the promised supernatural, permanent, and indestructible sign left on Apparition Hill.

However, Fr. Livio’s core message to his listeners is a stern warning against waiting for the physical signs to happen before changing one’s life. He explicitly cautions that using the unveiling of the Secrets as a personal trigger for conversion is a dangerous gamble.

The spiritual preparation must happen now. By the time the chosen priest reveals the first event to the world—three days before it occurs, according to the visionary Mirjana’s instructions—the spiritual alignment of each soul will already have been chosen. For Fr. Livio, the real trigger is the state of human hearts today; the Secrets are simply the mirror that will reflect it back to the world.