For the Protestant groups, `end of the world' has been a favourite topic for quite some time now, but of late a fear psychosis has crept into the minds of Catholics too, with a feverish pamphleteering about the second coming of Christ. According to the Bible, the second coming of Christ will mark the end of the world. (Church has a separate branch of theology dealing with the final events in the history of mankind under `eschatology.'.

According to one of the pamphlets, 2000 has been believed to be the final point of time. It says ``my dear children, tell the world what would take place across the globe between 1950 and 2000. Man will not obey thecommandments given by the creator. Satan will roam around the world winning souls. Fatal weapons powerful to crush the whole world in a second will be made. Satan will sow seeds of hatred among the people.''

``Man will give up his faith in God and move towards a complete destruction. The church will face persecutions. A war will break out against Rome and envy and competition will spring among the priests. Then God will flood open a series of natural calamities to punish the mankind for its wrongs and swallow the world gradually. Only those who keep faith in Christ will be saved.''

The story dates back to 1917 when Holy Mary was believed to have appeared before three children at Fatima (Lourdes) and handed over a message to them. Of them, Sr Lucia is still alive, at a convent in Portugal.She gave the message to the then Pope Pius XII, who after reading it preferred not to divulge the details. The succeeding Popes also sat over the message. However, during 1963-64, Pope Paul VI agreed to expose certainportions of the message for the first time, ``feeling that the prophesised time was approaching.'' Now the message was spread across the world for alerting the faithful, the pamphlet claims.

Painting a grim picture of the `great chastisement,' the tract cautions that this will begin after a `great warning.'``When the talk for peace is still strong, it will happen. The death of a ruler will result in a war and one powerful army will march into Europe. Following a great bomb explosion, pitched darkness will envelope the globe for 72 hours. A damning earthquake will shake the world for over eight hours and only one third of the humanity will survive.''

The pamphlet also extends a number of do's and don'ts for the faithful, aimed at bringing the flock back to Christ. The most glaring of them is the advice to keep a `blessed candle' for the three-day doom. For, according to the tract, only such blessed candle will be able to shed light and no manmade or natural source of light except the candle can givelight. Ironically, even a piece of this candle will keep light all these 72 hours.Pennamma Konunalpathil, from Alappuzha, who handed over a copy of this tract proudly says ``I got a candle blessed by the local priest.'' Father Kurishinkal, her parish priest, acknowledges, ``I don't know, whether they have brought the candles for blessing with this purpose. But every day, as usual I used to bless candles whoever brings it.'' He firmly refuses to make a comment on the circulation of such tracts. However, Pennamma claims that she herself has distributed them among many people.

The modus operandi of spreading them is easier as the leaflet instructs all the readers to get it copied and distributed among friends and foes. So it is a difficult task to trace their origin. Interestingly, none of these tracts have the required imprimatur, author, or the place of printing.Pennamma claimed to have got it from her daughter who is a nun, who in turn claims to have received it from a priest who came from abroad recently,but fails to give the details of his present whereabouts.

When contacted, Thiruvananthapuram Bishop Soosa Pakiam affirmed that there was no official seal or recognition for such pamphleteering. Describing it as the handiwork of some fundamental groups, he categorically denies the hand of the hierarchy.

Asked why he has not banned it as it has influenced thousands of naive devotees, specially in rural and distant places, he said: ``there are such individual cases and deviations in great number within the church. Unless and until it assumes a larger proportion, the church authorities do not think it right to put a blanket ban.''

By and large, the phobia has gripped the womenfolk greater. Lillikkutty, from the hilly district of Idukki claimed to have distributed it among at least 50 people. She also claims that she got it from a priest, may be to seal the validity of the pamphlet. But, many of the naive devotees do not bother about the official status or do not like to be questioned of its authority.Instead, they advise you piously, ``my son, it is time. Repent and come back.''

``The intimidating description really chokes you,'' says Sunny who blatantly refuses to accept it, but does not hide his apprehension. It is, however, yet to cut ice among the educated youth, who spurn all such things forthwith. Their elder generation, both male and female, has accepted them as the message from Holy Mother, who has considerable power among Kerala Christians.

Benn, a self-claimed atheist and working in a newspaper, was quick and abrupt in reacting to it with his favourite lines, ``sheer bull-shit.'' He suspects a conspiracy by the clergy, as the tracts have nothing against them and instead is tempting the faithful to adhere to the church.