Haunting 'last pope' 800 year old prophecy after Pope Francis' death
The "Prophecy of the Popes", purportedly penned in the 1100s by Saint Malachy, is said to enumerate 112 popes. The list is nearing its conclusion, with only a mention of "Peter the Roman" remaining before the apocalypse.
While the manuscript provides precise descriptions of the popes up until approximately 1590, it becomes notably vague thereafter. This has led some to link "Peter the Roman" to Pope Francis, given his Italian roots and birth name - Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone.
Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, following a stroke which resulted in a coma and ultimately "irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,'' as per Vatican reports.
In the wake of Pope Francis' death, leaders of the Catholic Church have initiated the process to elect his successor through a conclave of 120 cardinals, all aged under 80.
The concluding entry regarding "Peter the Roman", who was prophesied to ascend to the papacy in 2027, states that this "last pope" will guide the church through a period of extreme upheaval, culminating in the destruction of Rome and the end of the papacy.
"In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End," is the closing line from a dramatic prophecy that has sparked fears of an apocalypse among some believers, who connect the rule of Peter the Roman with the Day of Judgement expected in 2027.
Even the French seer Michel de Nostredame (Nostradamus) is speculated to have forecasted the era of Peter the Roman, reports the Mirror US.
Historians suggest the document might have been crafted with political motives in mind, and numerous academics point out that after its revelation, its prophecies were intentionally made more ambiguous, leading to highly personal interpretations.
Following the Pope's death, Catholics worldwide will engage in Novendiale—a nine-day period of bereavement. Subsequently, the Pope will be interred at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy.
What comes next is the commencement of the election for the new pontiff, wherein the highest-ranking clergy, known as the College of Cardinals, gather to vote.
These candidates, usually ordained bishops selected by the Pope himself, total 252 at present, with only 138 qualified to cast their votes for who will take Pope Francis' place. On Tuesday, April 22, images of Pope Francis lying in state within an open casket emerged for the first time as the Vatican prepares for his funeral.
The 88 year old was presented for the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff ceremony. The placement of his body in the coffin took place last night at the Chapel of Santa Marta, according to the Vatican.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, conducted the official declaration of death in a ceremony lasting under an hour.
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