We are aware, of course… predictions and premonitions… cue the yawning. Nevertheless, this specific prophecy has attracted sufficient attention online to merit conversation among users. This is despite it seemingly being first documented nearly a millennium ago.
Stay with us if you possess even a slight interest in the occult, the unusual, or the eerie, or if you simply enjoy thrilling doomsday prophecies that have little to no likelihood of ever materializing.
Unless you have been completely devoid of access to any form of technology in recent days, you will know that Pope Francis passed away earlier this week on Monday, April 21.
The Vatican confirmed the news of the 88-year-old’s death, with the cause later disclosed as a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and heart failure.
A nine-day mourning period has now commenced, while arrangements for Pope Francis’ burial are progressing. However, these tasks are minor compared to the responsibility of selecting his successor.
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – MARCH 31: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Alternative crop of image #2126955902) Pope Francis leads the Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square on March 31, 2024 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
And while this selection process is typically lengthy, not to mention imbued with profound significance and meaning, the choice of the next pope could be even more consequential… if one is inclined to accept the aforementioned 1,000-year-old prophecy.
Reports indicate the existence of a book titled the Prophecy of the Popes, allegedly authored in the 1100s by an Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland, named Malach, who was later canonized as Saint Malachy.
This prophecy is said to enumerate 112 popes, essentially forecasting that there would be only one more pope following Bened.
The concluding entry states that the final pope will be: “Peter the Roman, who will shepherd his flock amidst numerous tribulations, and when these events are completed, the city of seven hills will face destruction, and the fearsome judge will pass judgment on his people. The End.”
Pope Francis selected his name in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi, whose father was named Pietro, or Peter in English. This may be a tenuous connection, yet it is one that individuals use to try to validate the prophecy.
Furthermore, certain interpretations of the Prophecy of the Popes suggest that the world may come to an end in 2027… indicating that there is not much time remaining before circumstances potentially deteriorate significantly.
Considering the current global turmoil, it is possible that the prophecy resonates a bit too closely with reality. Nevertheless, it is important to note that there are numerous critics who dismiss Saint Malachy’s ominous forecasts.
Josh Canning, director of Toronto’s Chaplaincy at the Newman Centre, remarked in 2013 (as reported by Global News): “I don’t know how you can connect Peter the Roman with Pope Francis.”
