Vassula Ryden and the "True Life in God"

The story of Vassula Ryden, worthy of a chapter of The Golden Legend, begins at the end of the 20th century and is still ongoing: in November 1985, at the age of 40, a young married woman, mother of one, with the physique of a model, a tennis player and painter, of Orthodox origin, claimed to be receiving communications from Heaven and to have been chosen by Christ to work towards reuniting the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches. True Life in God, the book she wrote, is presented as a mystical and prophetic work with messages for our time in which God calls us to repentance, peace and unity: "These messages are my personal love letter to everyone" (12 April 1993).

Les raisons d'y croire :

Vassula is sane, balanced, and serene woman. She works selflessly, receiving nothing for her travels and no royalties on the publications of True Life in God.

In the mystical language of True Life in God, which can be confusing, several passages seem to be prophecies already fulfilled, in particular the attack of 11 September 2001, mysteriously announced ten years earlier, to the day, by a message in which it is said in particular that "all the evil built into towers will collapse into a pile of rubble". The 2004 tsunami was also announced in a message dated 10 September 1987.

Right from the start, many cardinals, bishops, priests and religious recognised Vassula's charisma, including Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Benedict XVI, who said on 26 May 1996, in reference to this work that was causing a stir: "You may continue to promote her writings, but always with discernment" (L'Informateur, Canadian newspaper).

In 2004, Vassula's case was examined at the highest level by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which asked her to answer five questions on important doctrinal points. These led to "useful clarifications concerning her writings and her participation in the sacraments" of the Catholic Church, as she is Orthodox. The letter was signed by Cardinal Ratzinger, leaving it up to the bishops to decide on Vassula's mystical gift.

In 2005, True Life in God received the nihil obstat and imprimatur of two bishops, which is important even if it is not decisive and everyone remains free to believe in the messages or not.

The fact remains that reading True Life in God has apparently converted thousands of people (Christians and non-Christians), many of whom have written down their testimonies.

Numerous inner healings, miracles and conversions have also been alleged since 1985, as a result of Vassula's travels, messages and interventions.

Synthèse :

An extraordinary story

A Greek national born in Egypt on 18 January 1942, Vassula Ryden is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. In her autobiography, Heaven Is Real But So Is Hell: An Eyewitness Account of What is to Come, Vassula explains that even as a child she was prepared for this mission. As a child and teenager, she saw the souls in purgatory and was subject to ecstasies, without really understanding what was happening to her. So she wasn't overly surprised when, in 1985, while preparing to write a shopping list in Bangladesh, her guardian angel, Daniel, moved her hand and made her draw a rose coming out of a heart. From that moment on, a dialogue began between the angel and Vassula and she began to write under his dictation. At first, she thought she was crazy and tore up all her papers. But she caught the staff of her house taking them out of the dustbin, putting them back together and reading them with interest, and realised that her writings could touch people's hearts. On 8 May 1986, she decided to write down the messages she received from her guardian angel, in a small notebook. Jesus soon took over Daniel, who became more discreet. This is the beginning of True Life in God.

True Life in God is a school

The Lord captured Vassula's heart and taught her. He revealed himself to her as "the beggar of love, the unloved one". He made her love his Blessed Mother, and asks that all Christians honour her "as he himself honours her"; revealed to Vassula the existence of angels, hell, the devil and purgatory, which are not myths. He even took her on a tour of his paradise.

Jesus reminded her, an Orthodox, that the Pope is his successor, and he asks that everyone recognise him as the first among equals. Vassula knew nothing of the division of the Churches when the Lord revealed to her that he now suffers his Passion twice a year, because of the two different dates of Easter. He taught her the Catholic rosary, asked her to teach her Catholic brothers the Orthodox rosary. He also asked for prayer groups to be set up (31 July 1995). Although Vassula remained Orthodox, she received communion in the Catholic Church and recognised the Pope as the successor of Peter, the shepherd of all Christians. The Lord opened Orthodox communion to Catholics and encouraged the patriarchs and popes to accept it. Theodore II, patriarch of Alexandria and all of Africa, responded to this call in April 2008.

Unification of Easter dates

Jesus revealed to Vassula his sorrow at the division of his Church and his ardent desire to see the "two lungs" of East and West breathe together: "Orthodox! Catholic! Protestant! You all belong to me! You are all one in my eyes" (27 October 1987). Jesus called on Christians to unite, without delay, in their diversity; each of the three Churches would keep its specificity and its riches and exchange them with the other two, around a single shepherd (the Pope). Jesus gave Vassula the first task of uniting the dates of Easter. He announced a time of trials that the unification of the dates of Easter would be able to alleviate.

Unity of the three Churches and the apostolic call

Jesus told her he wanted to unite the three Churches, whatever the cost. This is why he sent Vassula all over the world (to her great reluctance at the beginning), she who knew nothing, did not know how to speak in public, and had no theological knowledge, with the mission to repeat and spread his words, through True Life in God, without fear of the persecutors whose incessant action he predicted would continue until the end of her life. She met a number of dignitaries from the three Churches, to whom she passed on the Lord's messages. Many were in favour. However, the persecutions started and did not stop. Christ did not hide this from her: "The religious authorities will invariably reject you" (4 May 1988). However, consecrated men and women - sometimes of very high rank - helped her to fulfil her mission. Vassula traveled the world, holding more than 1,152 talks in 87countries. True Life in God has been described as a reminder of the divine Word, designed to help the Church strengthen her faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus soon extended this mission to all his friends who rallied to his cause and felt his call to place themselves at the service of True Life in God. Evangelisation is essential, andTrue Life in God is a privileged instrument of it.

True Life in God is also a work of charity...

In 1998, in a vision, the Virgin Mary asked Vassula to give practical assistance to the poorest of the poor and to set up shelters for the hungry and thirsty; Vassula called them Beth Myriam (Houses of Mary). Today, Beth Myriams are established in more than fourteen countries, operating on donations alone.

... and a prophetic work

Throughout True Life in God, Jesus prophesied to Vassula a renewal in his Church, a new Pentecost, the outpouring of his Spirit, and the great miracle that would be the unity of all Christians (10 January 1990). He announced that True Life in God - an apostolic call, not a religious movement - would touch non-Christians, and that he would send his message to believers of other religions. At the end of time, he says, all men will be converted. Vassula presented her book to Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus, who received it gratefully. It was the Lord himself who entitled his messages True Life in God. He promised his messenger and secretary (as he called Vassula) that his work would spread throughout the world. This was his will and, he repeated, no one could stop it: in fact, twenty years later, the book had been translated into over forty languages...

The main and recurring messages are:

The urgent call to unify the dates of Easter; the promise of a new Christian era: "Ecclesia will live again" is a recurring phrase; the end of Satan's reign and of the great apostasy; the announcement of the end of times; the coming on earth of a non-human fire; the purification of humanity; in the meantime, the time of mercy, the call to repentance, and detachment from the things of the world, to achieve true freedom: "Freedom is when your soul detaches itself from the cares of the world and flies to me" (23 April 1987).

Christophe Biotteau, author of Beautés poétiques dans Le Cantique de l'Époux et autres textes de La Vraie Vie en Dieu.

Au-delà des raisons d'y croire :

True Life in God is a magnificent book. The striking poetic beauty of Christ's words is perhaps the greatest proof of its authenticity. What Jesus called his "tapestry" is a literary masterpiece. An impostor might pose as a theologian and a prophet, but will not reach poetic heights. True Life in God is certainly the work of a highly talented artist.

Aller plus loin :

Heaven is Real But So is Hell: An Eyewitness Account of What is to Come by Vassula Ryden, Alexian; unknown edition (March 16, 2013)

En savoir plus :

Books :

True Life in God: Vassula: Conversations With Jesus: Notebooks 1-31 by Vassula Ryden, Vassula (January 1, 1991) - Collection of messages from Jesus given to Vassula. Volume I brings together the messages of Jesus given to Vassula between 1986 and 2003 and Volume II between 2003 and 2021.
My Angel Daniel: Angel, Notebooks 1-4 : Early Dawn of "True Life in God", Trinitas; 0 edition (January 1, 1995)

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