Almost 900 years ago, Pope Innocent II summoned the Bishop of Armagh, in what is now Northern Ireland, to come to Rome. While there, this Bishop purportedly experienced a vision in which he saw the popes from that time until the end of the Roman Catholic church. He recorded his impression of each of the remaining 112 popes in a series of cryptic phrases.
Today, Saint Malachy's vision is called "The Prophecy of the Popes." Written in 1139, it was rediscovered in the Vatican's archives in 1590.
I do not believe Saint Malachy's predictions rise to the level of the Bible's prophecies in either their detail or accuracy. However, his predictions have been remarkable in their own way and bear relevance to the times in which we live.
You see, Saint Malachy's prophecy seems to predict that the current pope, Benedict XVI, will be the next to last pope of the Roman church. After him will come a pope called Petrus Romanus, or Peter the Roman. Malachy appears to indicate that he will be the one who cooperates with the Antichrist, then will be turned upon and destroyed by the leader of the confederacy that rises out of the old Roman Empire.
When you consider the fact that Benedict XVI is 85 years old, the world might not have to wait very long to learn if Saint Malachy's final prediction comes true.
And if that's not interesting enough, stir this into the mix…
Blessings,
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