About Vassula
Vassula Rydén was born in Egypt to Greek parents on January 18, 1942. She was baptized into the Greek Orthodox Church. She was married and had two sons, now adults. Her husband’s career led her and her family to live in several countries around the world. On November 28, 1985, while she was living with her family in Bangladesh, Heaven manifested itself to her in an unexpected way God dictated His words of Wisdom to her to remind His people of His Will. This marked the beginning of a mystical communication that continued for forty years until September 25, 2024, when God called Vassula home to Heaven.
Receiving and transmitting God’s message is the gift of prophecy. Vassula had never received any theological training or even catechism. God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit then prepared Vassula to serve as a messenger, sending her throughout the world to share what she received from Heaven and to invite all people to repentance and conversion.
A distinctive aspect of Vassula’s charism was the interior light of understanding that accompanied the messages she received. Through this grace, God enabled her to understand spiritual teachings, scriptural references, and symbolic passages beyond her own knowledge or education. At times, the fuller meaning of certain messages became clearer as events unfolded.
God said to her one day: “I have chosen a nothing, knowing nothing, a blank canvas so that it is clear that the Works covering this sheet will be from Me, and that you believe that it is I, Jesus, Beloved Son of God, who speaks this time” (December 26, 1987). The divine messages of True Life in God are an urgent call to repentance, conversion, prayer, and the offering of great acts of reparation in response to the spiritual crisis of our times. These messages lead souls to make peace with God and develop an intimate relationship with Him. The Church is particularly called to love and humility, to free itself from its divisions and rigidity, so that it may finally attain unity.
The Unity of the Church
Jesus entrusted Vassula with this mission: “Be like a loud book, a book written by the Most High” (January 7, 2002); “when will they all pass a decree by unanimous vote to celebrate the feast of Easter all in one date?” (December 21, 1992); “I, Myself, therefore, will bring the two together to honour My Name and pronounce My Name around one altar” (October 05, 1994); “ah … when will those Hands of My Body lift Me over the Altar, holding Me together?” (June 15, 1995)
And Jesus dictated these words to Vassula for the leaders of the Eastern and Western Churches: “gather together, beloved ones; reinforce My Church; unite, beloved ones, come together again, be one” (December 12, 1987); “am I going to drink one more season the Cup of your division? or will you rest My Body and unify, for My sake, the Feast of Easter? in unifying the date of Easter, you will alleviate My pain, brother” (October 14, 1991).
These messages are a reminder of our true foundations, a reminder of the Word of God and of His existence. God said to Vassula: “tell them that this Message is not given to them to draw sensation but to make them realise the urgency […] of their conversion; the graveness of the condition of their soul; the importance to change their life and live holy” (May 18, 1991).
The dissemination of True Life in God
As early as 1986, God promised Vassula that, with His help, His message would spread throughout the world. In the years that followed, the True Life in God messages were translated into numerous languages, carried Vassula to 85 countries, and touched the lives of countless people through witness meetings, prayer groups, and works of charity.
God said to Vassula: “be like a loud book” (December 20, 1996; October 26, 1997), “a book written by the Triune God” (September 25, 1997). God also foretold to Vassula: “this time I will step between Cain and My Abel; […] I will cast away from Cain’s hand his weapon, leaving him naked; he shall have to face Abel unarmed” (August 16, 1987). God made Vassula understand the symbolic meaning of these words: that no one would be able to stifle His message, for He Himself would protect and defend it whenever opposition arose.
Since 1989, Vassula’s mission took her to 85 countries, where she participated in 1,172 recorded meetings. The majority were public „Witness” meetings, although she also met with media representatives, political dignitaries, and Church leaders. The messages were translated into approximately forty languages, making them accessible to people throughout the world. Throughout this apostolic mission, Vassula never received a salary, speaking fee, royalties, or personal financial compensation for her work. Following the instruction she received from God to „freely give what He has freely given,” she did not profit from the publication or distribution of the True Life in God messages.
Over the years, the True Life in God messages have been carefully examined by numerous cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, theologians, and other Christian scholars. They have concluded that the messages are in harmony with Sacred Scripture and the living tradition of the Church, while many also testified that their study of the messages deepened their understanding of Scripture and their relationship with God.
The True Life in God prophetic revelations enjoy the Magisterium’s official seals of approval, the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, granted on November 28, 2005.
Several renowned scholars and theologians have also published books and studies examining Vassula’s charism and the spiritual significance of the messages. Among them are Fr. René Laurentin, Fr. Guido Sommavilla, Jacques Neirynck, Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi, Fr. John Abberton, Fr. Michael O’Carroll, and Sr. Ann Shields, who presented theological and spiritual reflections supporting the authenticity of the messages and their divine inspiration.
The prophecies
Throughout these years, the messages have consistently called humanity back to God, reminding people of the teachings found in Sacred Scripture, the Ten Commandments, and the words of the prophets. They contain an urgent call to repentance, conversion, prayer, and reconciliation with God, warning that humanity’s growing apostasy and rejection of God’s laws carry grave consequences.
The messages also contain numerous prophecies. Through the light of understanding that frequently accompanied the messages, Vassula came to recognize the meaning of certain prophetic passages more fully as events unfolded. Among the events foretold in the messages were the collapse of communism, the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other significant world events that occurred after the messages had been recorded. These fulfilled prophecies serve as a reminder of the seriousness of Heaven’s warnings and the urgency of God’s call. Vassula stated, “If the world, will not repent and the churches will continue to be deaf to His callings for reconciliation and unity, a unity in diversity, a great chastisement of fire will be sent to the world.”1
In the year Vassula passed from this earth, she wrote a letter dated January 25, 2024 with the intent to remind everyone that His return is imminent, and that the world will go into deeper tribulations. He reminded Vassula to urge us all to keep praying the two prayers given to us by Him, one of November 13, 2006 and one of November 28, 2009, and that we are very near those events foretold by our Lord for humanity and that they are at our doorstep; catastrophic events that are drawn by the world’s apostasy, the Church’s division, and the lack of love.
Our world today, marked by widespread apostasy, is in great need of God’s saving grace. No one has the right to silence the Voice of God or of our Holy Mother, nor to disregard Heaven’s appeals addressed to the whole world. God dictated to Vassula these messages which He Himself has named „True Life in God”. They have touched countless lives, often bringing about profound and unexpected conversions. From every corner of the world, people have testified that the messages have transformed their lives and deepened their relationship with God, permanently.
Feeding the poor
We are told in Scripture that “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:14-26). In 1997, in a vision of the Blessed Virgin, Vassula was invited by our Holy Mother to reach out to the needy and feed the poor, for “spiritual food alone is not enough for them”.
Later, in 2002, Vassula received this confirmation from Jesus: “establish Our Beth Myriams everywhere you can; lift the oppressed and help the orphan; protect Me, rescue Me from the gutter, shelter Me and feed Me, unload My burden and fatigue, support Me and encourage Me but above all love Me; all that you do to the least of My brethren you do it to Me” (March 27, 2002).
This call has inspired the establishment of numerous houses around the world known as „Beth Myriam” (House of Mary), operated by volunteers whose lives have been touched by the True Life in God messages. Dedicated to serving the poor, these houses provide food and practical assistance to those in need and continue to grow under the guidance and protection of our Blessed Mother. Some Beth Myriams also contribute to the education of underprivileged children through schools and educational initiatives.
How it began
Vassula’s life changed in 1985 during the first initiation that was undertaken by her Guardian Angel Daniel. While preparing a shopping list, Vassula experienced a light electrical feeling in her right hand. At the same time, an invisible presence guided her to write the words: “I am your Guardian Angel and my name is Daniel” in handwriting quite distinct from her own.
Vassula receives these prophetic messages through locutions and interior visions, where she hears God’s voice interiorly and then writes His Words down. Or, she receives the Words of God through a light of understanding in her intellect without hearing any speech.
She was put through a purification, where she saw her sins the way that God saw them and how they had offended Him. It was a very painful interior experience and she cried for three weeks. The most severe reproaches concerned the rejection of God’s gifts.
It was only after this purification and a serious repentance and spiritual growth that the Father approached her. Vassula receives messages from the Holy Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—our Blessed Mother, St. Michael the Archangel and various saints.
Scientific and Theological Analysis
The phenomenon of the dictation and distinctive handwriting, through which Vassula receives the messages, has been investigated and analyzed by a range of professionals—graphologists, scientists, exorcist priests and theologians—including: graphologist Mr. J.A. Munier (Court of Appeals, Paris), graphologist and exorcist priest Fr. Christian Curty (Dioceses of Avignon and Marseille), scientist and neurologist Dr. Philippe Loron (Paris), world-renowned Mariologist theologian and consultant on supernatural phenomena Fr. René Laurentin (France), scientist and author Jacques Neirynck (Switzerland), author and theologian Fr. Edward D. O’Connor (Notre Dame University, USA), author and theologian Fr. P. Ferdinand Umaña Moñtoya (Colombia) and eminent author and theologian and Member of the Pontifical Marian Academy the late Fr. Michael O’Carroll (Ireland).
In unusual manifestations (mystical or pathological) three possibilities are open for discernment—a diabolical origin, a psychic origin or a supernatural origin. The findings of these investigations of Vassula’s case—documented in books and articles—systematically rule out the first two possibilities and conclude that the messages are a phenomenon of supernatural origin.
Regarding the distinctive writing, Fr. Moñtoya states in his book Vassula – An Ecumenical Charism for our Times (Vassula – Un Charisme Oecumenique Pour Notre Temps):
It is what is called ‘hieratic’ or ‘sacred’ writing. It is not automatic writing. This particular element of the writing under dictation raises questions concerning the phenomenon of automatic writing, whose origin, as is very well known, may be subconscious or even evil. There is nothing of the sort with Vassula. She remains conscious, independent and free. […] Order, clarity, restraint and refinement are evidence of its origin. It has no rigidity, no hardness, none of the disorder, chaos or confusion indicative of automatic writing
Other investigations of Vassula’s works include that of Fr. Laurentin, who has called Vassula “the most authentic mystic living in the world today.” He conducted an investigative study of Vassula’s case in accordance with the Criteria of Discernment as laid down by Rome. He carried out a number of interviews and meetings with her and made an analytical study of her messages. He examined all aspects of her case including the following: origin of her messages, doctrine, value and credibility of the witness, signs and miracles, analysis of principal themes of the True Life in God messages, spiritual insights and spiritual fruits. He documented his experience and findings in the two books he wrote about Vassula’s case: Qui Est Vassula? (Who is Vassula?) and When God Gives a Sign, and in numerous articles. Fr. Laurentin is particularly interested and concerned with the fruits and charisms that develop in cases which manifest spiritual phenomena. In his book When God Gives a Sign, he writes about Vassula: “I attach a great value to the conversions that the Lord has brought about through the faithful instrument that she has become.” He later remarks: “According to Christ, the principal criterion for discernment is the fruits. It so happens that it was precisely the fruits that first interested me in Vassula.” He concludes: “At each stage since my first contacts in 1989, the development of Vassula has simply provided new signs that favour her authenticity. I am even more sure today that this is a grace for her, for the Church and for unity.”
Fr. O’Carroll investigated Vassula’s case and closely followed the evolution of her mission. He documented his study of Vassula and her messages in two books he wrote about her case: Vassula of the Sacred Heart’s Passion and Bearer of the Light – Vassula, “Mediatrix of Divided Christians.” In the latter, he mentions the impact of the True Life in God messages on those who read them, highlighting the fact that Vassula’s messages have “led to very many conversions,” along with the fact that a woman “with no theological instruction whatever, has profoundly impressed theologians of repute in different countries.” He notes: “The theological analysis of her writings brings into relief themes like: devotion to the Holy Spirit, the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Christian unity, the conversion of Russia, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the spreading apostasy.” Fr. O’Carroll also referenced Vassula and her mission in a number of his other publications. In John Paul II – A Dictionary of His Life and Teachings, he states: “Vassula exemplifies God’s frequent choice of converts to convert the world.”
Fr. O’Connor states about Vassula: “For a lay person, with no theological training, without even any serious catechetical instruction, to write so many volumes about some of the profoundest spiritual matters, and never make a mis-step, is an extraordinary achievement. It is a powerful confirmation that it is indeed the Lord himself who is the source of these writings.”
A scientific analysis undertaken by Dr. Loron investigated Vassula’s experience and the content of the messages she receives. As part of this study he was present to observe and to perform scientific tests, while Vassula was receiving and recording a message. He reports on his experience and documents the findings in his book J’ai vu écrire Vassula – analyse scientifique de la Vraie Vie en Dieu (I saw Vassula Write – a scientific analysis of True Life in God). He investigates the personality and background of Vassula, the emergence and evolution of her experience and explores and analyses the content and coherence of the messages she has taken down. He examines and analyses the two scripts found in the True Life in God books: Vassula’s own personal, ordinary handwriting and the distinctive writing in which the messages are written. Dr. Loron explores many elements including: cognitive function/ consciousness/ ecstasy/ logic/ creativity/ neuropsychological function/ role of left and right hemispheres of the brain/ image/ symbol/ analogy/ language/ meditation and prayer. He reports on an “extraordinary coherence throughout the writings of Vassula.” He also comments on the striking coherence of the psychological, historical, theological, biblical and mystical elements, which he critically examines in his analysis.
Handwriting Analysis
Many adults, including Vassula herself, have asked whether this is Jesus’ actual handwriting. Jesus’ answer was that it was not His handwriting, otherwise it would be perfect. But He always says, „Vassula allow Me to use your hand,” or „listen and write……” Like many sacred mysteries, it is not easy to grasp this one fully, but it might be helpful to many if we share some of the observations that Vassula and Fr. O’Carroll have made at various times.
Vassula takes down the Lord’s message as it comes to her in one of two different ways. One way is that she hears and writes down His exact words. At other times, He gives her a ‘light’ or understanding of a thought He wishes to convey. This she takes down as best as she can express it.
In both cases, her hand is guided to write slowly and majestically as Jesus prefers. She says she has been shown that she could take the messages writing quickly in her own handwriting but that Jesus prefers this way in which His presence is manifested. He is directly involved in the writing besides being the Author of the message.
Father O’Carroll makes this observation:… „Others, like Maria Conception de Armida, Adrienne von Speyr and, St. Bridget (Birgitta) of Sweden have taken dictation from the Lord. Vassula’s case is singular in that the handwriting is directly controlled. We have the transcription of an intensely personal experience of Jesus Christ with the assurance that He was involved down to the physical element of putting the words on paper.” Vassula also describes it as, having her hand ‘enraptured’ as when a visionary is in a state of whole-body rapture or ecstasy. The person is aware but uninterested in the immediate surroundings because the entire focus is on the sacred presence of God or the Blessed Mother. Vassula believes that just as her handwriting under the Lord’s dictation is affected by His presence, similarly whenever we are in and aware of God’s holiness, everything about us is lifted up to a higher plane than we could attain on our own. In this way, Jesus is giving us a further visual aid to His teaching that whenever we allow Him to use us and we practice His presence, the results will be far greater than by our own poor powers. He tells us: „I am the vine and you are the branches.”
This video below illustrates the special handwriting of Vassula when she receives the True Life in God messages. The video clip includes footage of Vassula actually receiving a message from the Lord. This particular event is recorded in the messages themselves on October 16, 2000.
All the messages can be viewed in their original handwritten form HERE.
Explore what experts and graphologists have said about the handwriting
