22-04-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
What is the Prophecy of the Popes? The prediction that splits opinion
It is a prophecy that has attracted attention through the years and none moreso than in the aftermath of Pope Francis' death earlier this week.
His holiness died on Easter Monday but there is an eerie prophecy made by St Malachy. In his column today, Kevin McKenna writes about the prophecy and how Pope Francis is the 226th of St Peter's successors and the final one – according to the saint but it is mentioned that the papal predictions began to get wobbly around the 16th century.
In a series of 112 cryptic Latin phrases, St Malachy predicted the Roman Catholic popes, but in doing so he predicted there would only be one more pope after Benedict – who stepped down in 2013 to be replaced by Francis.
He also predicted that reign could result in the end of the world, meaning Pope Francis would be the last ever person to hold that role.
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There is also another part which people look to link together to 'confirm' the prophecy despite St Malachy saying the final reign would be Pope Peter.
Pope Francis chose his name in honour of St Francis of Assisi, who's father was named Pietro, or Peter in English.
Saint Malachy's final prediction in full stated: "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.'
St Malachy had provided his beliefs to Pope Innocent II, but they remained completely unknown until they were discovered in the Roman Archives in 1590.
Some of the predictions have been proven correct in the years since, including that of Pope John Paul II. It is entitled De labore Solis, meaning 'of the eclipse of the sun', and Pope John Paull II was born on May 18, 1920 – during a solar eclipse.
Pope Benedict was the 111th pope, and the prophecy about him states 'Gloria Olivae', meaning 'the glory of the Olive', while the Order of St Benedict is known as the Olivetans and many Catholics who believe in the prophecy say that proves another of Malachy's predictions correct.
While many people still believe in the prophecy, there are also a lot of theologians who believe it to be 'nonsense', as Thomas J. Reese of Georgetown University put it.
Another scholar, Thomas Groome of Boston College, stated: "For myself – and even as a native Irishman – the 'Prophecies of St. Malachy' are a grand old fun tale that have about as much reliability as the morning horoscope".
The prophecy has split opinion from the minute it was made public, and there are many who feel it was never a serious prediction. For those who do believe, they might be hoping they have got this one wrong.
