The Next and Last Pope ~ A Look at the St. Malachy Prophecy

St Malachy was the Archbishop of Armagh, to whom were attributed several miracles and a vision of the identity of the last 112 Popes. He was canonized by Pope Clement III as a Roman Catholic "saint", on July 6, 1199, the first Irish saint to be canonized. Malachy wrote about his vision, and that he was inscribing, the pontiffs from pope Celestine the second "...to the end of the world." In all, Malachy described, 111 popes. As we now know today, the 111th Pope, is Pope Benedict XVI, (the glory of the olives) and according to Malachy, he will be the last "official" Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Last Pope - A Look at the St. Malachy Prophecy Petrus Romanus: 900 Year Old Prophecy Says Next Pope Will Oversee End of Days In 1139 A.D. the Catholic Saint Malachy was said to have experienced visions during a trip to Rome. He subsequently put these visions to paper and penned a document containing 112 short phrases purporting to describe all future popes that would head the Catholic Church. Though not a part of official Catholic dogma or church teachings, this Prophecy of the Popes is well known by Vatican officials and church scholars because it has been remarkably accurate about naming the last 111 heads of one of the world’s oldest and most widespread religions. According to researchers, theologians and evangelical scholars, the phrases Malachy scribed in his writings offer up the “nature, name, destiny or coat of arms” of every pope in succession and culminate with the naming of the 112th pope. This morning, Pope Benedict XVI announced he would be retiring. Jokingly referred to as “God’s Rottweiler” in some circles, the German born 111th Pontiff as described in Malachy’s prophecy is called the Gloria Olivae, or ”glory of the olive,” which some supporters of the prophecy suggest is a reference to the Benedictine Order of monks from whom Benedict got his namesake. The monks are also known as the Olivetans, and are represented by an olive branch, leaving many to believe that Saint Malachy was, once again, right. Now, according to prophecy, the 112th Pope will step up to head the Church, and he will be named Petrus Romanus, or Peter the Roman. Whether you’re Catholic, Christian or not a religious person at all, the fact that a 900 year old prophecy is coming to a close is intriguing. And one way or the other, whether its predictions turn out to be true or not, the prophecy concludes with the next Pope. Eerily, the prophecy describes the Catholic Church’s last Pontiff as overseeing a new era, and one that will be met with great difficulty and destruction: “In extreme persecution the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman...” “Who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the terrible or fearsome judge will judge his people. The End.” -- Prophecy of the Popes – Attributed to St. Malachy circa 1139 A.D. Within the Book of Revelation, also known as The Apocalypse of John, are references to the destruction of the City of Seven Hills (Rome) and to the many trials that will be faced by mankind ahead of the final judgement – the rapture, the rise of the anti-christ, seven years of tribulations, and the end of days. Suffice it to say, if the prophecy is accurate, then the world will soon be engulfed in a battle between good and evil.