The Secrets of La Salette    211 

the Arab nations and Europe (World War III, in the 2010's). There will also 

be violence and civil disorder within nations. 

    Centuries later, during the reign of Antichrist, there will be one 

government over the whole world, and yet there will not be peace of any 

kind. There will be wars and rebellions constantly, both before and during 

Antichrist's reign. 

    The phrase  they will kill themselves  is one possible translation of the 

original French:  on se tuera.  The verb  se tuer  can mean  to be killed,  

but it can also mean  to kill oneself.  Thus, this phrase means both that 

people will kill one another and that there will be numerous suicides. 

    The phrase  they will massacre themselves mutually  is a translation of 

the original French:  on se massacrera mutuellement.  Again, this could 

mean that people will massacre one another, but the word mutually makes 

an additional meaning likely that some of the massacres are mass suicides, 

committed by mutual agreement. This is a mortal sin against God. 

    The phrase  even in the houses  could be rendered  even in homes,  

since the word  maisons  can mean  houses  or  homes.  But when 

translated as  houses  an additional meaning is possible. The word 

 maisons  is also used to refer to religious houses (see paragraph 11). 

Suicides in homes are not so unusual, but suicides in religious houses would 

be unusual, which explains the use of the phrase  even in the houses.  

20.   At the first stroke of His lightning sword, the mountains and the whole 

of nature will tremble with terror, because the disorders and the crimes of 

men pierce the vault of the heavens. Paris will be burned and Marseilles 

engulfed; several great cities will be shaken and engulfed by earthquakes: it 

will be believed that all is lost: only homicides will be seen, only the noise of 

weapons and blasphemies will be heard. The just will suffer much; their 

prayers, their penances and their tears will climb even up to heaven and all 

the people of God will ask for forgiveness and mercy, and will ask for my 

help and my intercession. Then Jesus Christ by an act of His justice and of 

His great mercy for the just, will command to His angels that all His 

enemies be put to death. All at once the persecutors of the Church of Jesus 

Christ and all men devoted to sin will perish, and the earth will become like 

a desert. Then peace, the reconciliation of God with  men will be made; 

Jesus Christ will be served, adored and glorified; charity will flower 

everywhere. The new kings will be the right arm of the holy Church, which 

will be strong, humble, pious, poor, zealous and imitator of the virtues of 

Jesus Christ. The Gospel will be preached everywhere and men will make 

great progress in the faith, because there will be unity among the workers of 

Jesus Christ and because men will live in the fear of God.