There are many prophecies concerning the end of this age in the Bible and we can believe in them if God, Jesus, or our Lord’s prophets stated them. But there are also several prophecies that some Christians believe, but are not divinely inspired. So, where does the ‘Three Days of Darkness Prophecy’ event fit into God’s end-time schedule?
In some Christian prophetic circles, this concept of three days of darkness is used when our world will become supernaturally shrouded in seventy-two hours of darkness.1 This is mainly considered a Roman Catholic Church belief, although there are some few groups of believers that are outside the Catholic religion. All such gatherings are growing in number during these last days of the current age. It is almost as if people are beginning to realize previous end-time warnings are actually now coming true, and they are looking for a fast and easy formula to get them through a time they didn’t prepare for.
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Actually, the Catholic Church organization has nothing official to say about this event in their normal studies, and a search of the Vatican website reveals no occurrences of the phrase ‘three days of darkness’.2 And my copy of The Catholic Encyclopedia, An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church does not have a listing for this teaching either.
So it is fair to say that the ‘three days of darkness’ concept may be tolerated, but not considered an official part of Catholic Church education. And factually, research indicates that the actual source of this prophecy is not from catalogued early religious manuscripts, but from an Italian Catholic mystic, Anna Taigi (1769-1837).3 She reportedly said the following.
“There shall come over the whole earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing can be seen, and the air will be laden with pestilence which will claim mainly, but not only, the enemies of religion. It will be impossible to use any man-made lighting during this darkness, except blessed candles. He, who out of curiosity, opens his window to look out, or leaves his home, will fall dead on the spot. During these three days, people should remain in their homes, pray the rosary, and beg God for mercy. All the enemies of the Church, whether known or unknown, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of a few whom God will soon convert. The air shall be infected by demons who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms.”4
Generally, believers of this prophecy are also believers of the Trinity, but otherwise, there are several variations, depending upon the religious group, which add their own suggestions such as, “Be sure to protect your home by anointing the doorways with blessed oil.” Or, “During those days, if you hear the voice of someone familiar, don’t open the door, because demons can disguise their voices to sound like people you know.” And of course, any religious groups that don’t customarily use prayer beads, leave out the necessity of praying the rosary.
The suggestion that there will be darkness for three days derives from Old Testament passages found in the Book of Exodus, and adherents suggest that this ancient reference is an analogy for a darkness mentioned in the Book of Revelation. But most biblical commentators and academics understand that the Egyptian story was documenting a historical event and it was not a prediction for a future one.
Also, there is evidence that the specific three-day purge of Church enemies was not even part of Taigi’s prophecy until after her death. It was during the prophetess’ beatification process5 in 1864 that the duration period of three days for the coming darkness, was revealed by D. R. Natali — her strongest supporter — when he indicated she had personally told him so.6 Therefore, this term of ‘three days of darkness’ is at best, second-hand information. Maybe this duration of time wasn’t mentioned in the original message supposedly received, but only an opinion which was later included.
And some time later, another presumed prophetess, Marie-Julie Jahenny (1850–1941), gave new information saying the blessed candles must be made of pure beeswax. And she also stated, specifically, that the three days without light would occur on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday,7 which occurs specifically on the days of Roman Catholicism’s Most Holy Sacrament of the Cross and Our Lady.8
The Only Three Days of Darkness in the Bible
As we enter into end-time events, more and more people are inquiring about this so-called ‘Three Days of Darkness Prophecy’. Some are just curious, but many are scared, realizing that we are really living in the last days mentioned in the Bible. Those people voicing their interest want to know what it means and, specifically, where this event can be found in the Bible.
In the Old Testament of Book of Exodus we are told about the ninth plague brought on by God, when Moses tried to negotiate with Pharaoh for his people’s release from bondage. While there are other locations that mention periods with little or no light, this is the only place in the entire Holy Bible that specifically mentions three days of darkness. This is what that scripture says.
“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived,” (Exodus 10:21-23, NRSV).9
The Exodus story emphasizes God’s ability to control light and darkness — good and evil — and proves his ability to read people’s heart and bring judgement in either case, depending upon a person’s decisions. It is a lesson in physical preparedness and spiritual awareness. And in today’s world, darkness can be a metaphor for periods of physical trial or of spiritual issues, the kind of problems all Christians face. But if the term ‘three days of darkness’ is mentioned in only one place in the bible, why do Christians put so much focus upon it pertaining to the end-times?
Biblical commentators make no reference to three days of darkness in the New Testament, other than very slight comments, such as in Revelation 6 as a parallel to the Egyptian plague of darkness,10 or generally corresponding to the darkness in Egypt.11 There is nothing covering the basic concerns given in the prophecy by the mystic Taigi.
So there is no biblical reference to any darkened three-day prophetic event where demons appear and people die when looking outside their homes. But some people believe and preach about this occurrence anyway. And the latest chatter I’m hearing about this three-day period of darkness is that it will happen during the upcoming time of Pentecost in 2025.
Personally, I doubt it. Date setting is something of which Jesus discouraged. He said, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority,” (Acts 1:7). So, if that date comes and goes without fulfilment, it won’t be the first time, because Taigi’s prophecy has missed several previous date-setting times in the 1800s and 1900s.
In the Bible, Christians are told to study and teach our Lord’s words, not hear and repeat what false prophets are preaching and teaching. A specific period of three days of darkness during the end times is neither doctrine nor biblical revelation; it is only one person’s private prediction and interpretation. So, it might be best to not jump on this bandwagon12 without thorough personal investigation and prayer beforehand.
Don’t get me wrong! I do believe that we will all face many end-of-age difficulties — and experience unusual times of darkness and demonic activity just as the Book of Revelation foretells — but not those implied by a mystic’s omen.
And when such circumstances you can’t understand do arrive, put your trust in the one who can make you strong and shield you from caving into evil influences. That is the advice given by the song selected for this study titled Through the Fire by The Crabb Family. The song was recorded in 2002 at Saenger Theatre in my hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Music video information with a link is listed in References & Notes.13
So many times I question the certain circumstances,
And things I could not understand.
Many times in trials my weakness blurs my vision,
And that’s when my frustration gets so out of hand.
It’s then I am reminded, I’ve never been forsaken;
I’ve never had to stand one test alone.
As I look at all the victories, the Spirit rises up in me,
And It’s through the fire my weakness is made strong.
Copyright © 2025, Dr. Ray Hermann
OutlawBibleStudent.org
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References & Notes
- Akin, Jimmy, “Will There Be Three Days of Darkness?” (Catholic Answers Magazine, 9 October 2024), https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/will-there-be-three-days-of-darkness
- Ibid.
- “Taigi, Anna Maria, Bl.”, (Encyclopedia.com, retrieved 4 February 2025), https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/taigi-anna-maria-bl
- Taigi, Anna Maria, Private Prophecies, (Rome, 1863).
As published in Chiesa Viva Magazine: Adessa, Franco, “The Three Days of Darkness”, (Chiesa Viva Magazine, 25 December 2020), available online at https://archive.org/details/Threedaysofdarkness/mode/2up - beatification process (overview): a three-stage canonization in which a deceased person is declared blessed and worthy of public veneration. The end result is that the deceased member can be a recognized saint.
“Canonization”, (Encyclopædia Britannica, 4 January 2007), https://www.britannica.com/topic/canonization/additional-info#history - Bucchianeri, E. A., “Bl. Anna Maria Taigi”, (The Great Catholic Monarch and Angelic Pontiff Prophecies Blog, 2 September 2024), https://greatmonarch-angelicpontiffprophecies.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_47.html
- “Three Days of Darkness”, (Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 January 2025), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_Darkness
- “Three Days of Darkness”, (Virgo Sacrata, retrieved 5 February 2025), https://www.virgosacrata.com/three-days-of-darkness.html
- Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989). Used with permission.
- Jamieson, Robert, et al., Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, [orig. c. 1871]), vol. 2, p. 588.
- Barry, John D., et al. (Eds.), Faithlife Study Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Revelation 16:10.
- bandwagon: unofficial association of people or group, or a movement that is fashionable and attracts people.
Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed., (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008 [revised]). - “Through the Fire”, Artists: The Crabb Family; Venue: recorded live in 2002 at Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, (© 2020 Gaither Music Group, LLC). Used under ‘fair use copyright’ for comment, teaching, scholarship, and research under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act of 1976 — MUSIC VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NUx7V3Tm2wk
