Prophecy of the Popes
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The Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, is a list of 112 short phrases in Latin. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes (along with a few anti-popes), beginning with Pope Celestine II (elected in 1143) and concluding with a later added pope described in the prophecy as "Peter the Roman", whose pontificate will end in the destruction of the city of Rome and the Last Judgement.
[edit] Provenance
The prophecy was first published in 1595 by Arnold de Wyon, a Benedictine historian, as part of his book Lignum Vitæ. Wyon attributed the list to Saint Malachy, the 12th‑century bishop of Armagh in Ireland. According to the traditional account, in 1139, Malachy was summoned to Rome by Pope Innocent II. While in Rome, Malachy purportedly experienced a vision of future popes, which he recorded as a sequence of cryptic phrases. This manuscript was then deposited in the Roman Archive, and thereafter forgotten about until its rediscovery in 1590.
On the other hand, Bernard of Clairvaux's biography of Malachy makes no mention of the prophecy, nor is it mentioned in any record prior to its 1595 publication. This has led to many, including the most recent editions of the Catholic Encyclopedia, to suggest that the prophecy is a late 16th‑century forgery. Some have suggested they were created by Nostradamus and credited to Saint Malachy so the purported seer would not be blamed for the destruction of the papacy. Supporters, such as author John Hogue, who wrote a popular book titled The Last Pope about the claims, generally argue that even if the author of the prophecies may be uncertain, the predictions made are still valid. There seems to be no indication that the papers were in fact, a forgery.
[edit] Skepticism and authenticity
Those who doubt the prophecy's authenticity claim that the prophecy's mottoes fit the earlier popes much better than they do those elected after the document's first publication. Such similarities as exist between the later popes and their mottoes can be seen as a product of coincidence and the mottoes' vagueness; that is to say, these later prophecies are susceptible to a confirmation bias.
For example, the association of John Paul II with the motto De labore Solis ("the Sun's labor"), due to his birth and funeral both occurring at times of solar eclipse ("labores solis"), can be seen as a statistically likely post-diction, as eclipses occur two or more times each year.
An evidence against the prophecy would be when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger chose the name Benedict XVI, this was seen by some as the fulfilment the prophecy Gloria Olivae, since it is claimed that the olive branch is sometimes used as a symbol of St. Benedict. However, prior to his election there were numerous speculations in the media as to what could be considered as "fulfillment of the prophecy". For example, it was said that any pope from the Benedictine Order; or any Latin American pope (with olive complexion) or any black pope; or any pope from Italy or Spain (two countries strongly associated with the cultivation of olives); or any pope with links to Judaism--any of the aforementioned possibilities was advanced as constituting a fulfillment of the prophecy, giving a broad array of possibilities. It has also been noted that the choice of name, while interesting for those who predicted the choice of the name, was not statistically unlikely, as modern papal names are generally chosen from a fairly limited set of names. In the last 250 years, for example, there have only been seven names used for Popes: John, Benedict, Pius, Gregory, Paul, Leo, and John Paul. Media comments on Pope Benedict XVI's choice of name have suggested that he seeks to emulate Pope Benedict XV's legacy of diplomacy and theological conservatism.
Separate doubts are raised about the last entry, describing Petrus Romanus. Some claim that this was first recorded sometime after 1820 and so is often considered not to be part of the original prophecy.
[edit] Interpretation
Interpretation of the mottos has generally relied on finding correspondences between the mottos and the popes' birthplaces, their personal arms, and the events of their pontificates. For example, the first motto, Ex castro Tiberis (From a castle on the Tiber), fits Pope Celestine II's birthplace in Città di Castello, on the Tiber. Pope Clement XIII, referred to in the prophecy Rosa Umbriae, the rose of Umbria, who is stated to have used a rose "as his personal emblem" (his coat of arms does not include one, however, nor was he from Umbria nor had any connection with the region). The technique of word play was evident in instances where interpreters find a phrase fitting more than one explanations.
In recent times, some interpreters of prophetic literature have drawn attention to the prophecies, both because of their success in finding connections between the prophecies and recent popes, and because of the prophecies' imminent conclusion. Interpretations made before the elections of recent popes have generally turned out not to predict their papacies accurately.
[edit] Popes and corresponding mottos
The Prophecies of St Malachy
| Pope No. | Name (Reign) | Motto (Translation) | Claimed Historical Reference or Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 167 | Celestine II (1143-1144) | 1 Ex castro Tyberis (From a castle on the Tiber) | Hist.: Born in Città di Castello, Umbria, on the shores of the Tiber. |
| 168 | Lucius II (1144-1145) | 2 Inimicus expulsus (Enemy Expelled) | Gheraldo Caccianemici, of Bologna. Noble whose surname signifies "expels enemies" and complied with currency and surname, inasmuch as with armour and shield of leather took the Capitol of Rome, but was mortally wounded in it takes of the Senate, dying in the monastery of San Gregorio, outside Rome. Enemy expelled, by their own parishioners, in defiance with the Papacy, and supported by the Normans that occupied the south of Italy. |
| 169 | Eugene III (1145-1153) | 3 Ex magnitudine montis (Of the greatness of the mount) | Among the alternate names seen of him, very difficult to verify, Pietro (or Bernardo) di Paganelli (or Pignatelli) di Montemagno. |
| 170 | Anastasius IV (1153-1154) | 4 Abbas Suburranus (A Suburran Abbot) | He was from the Suburra family. |
| 171 | Adrian IV (1154-1159) | 5 De rure albo (From the white Field) | Educated at the St Albans School in Hertfordshire. |
| Antipope Victor IV (1159-1164) | 6 Ex tetro carcere (Out of a harsh prison) | He was Cardinal of the title of St. Nicholas at the Tullian prison. | |
| Antipope Paschal III (1164-1168) | 7 Via trans-Tyberina (Road beyond the Tiber) | When Cardinal, he was titular of the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere. | |
| Antipope Callixtus III (1168-1178) | 8 De Pannonia Tusciae (From Tuscian Hungary) | He was the Hungarian John, Abbot of Struma. | |
| 172 | Alexander III (1159-1181) | 9 Ex ansere custode (Out of the guardian goose) | His family's coat of arms had a goose on it. |
| 173 | Lucius III (1181-1185) | 10 Lux in ostio (A light in the entrance) | In 1159, he became Cardinal Bishop of Ostia. Lux may also be a wordplay on Lucius. |
| 174 | Urban III (1185-1187) | 11 Sus in cribo (A sow in a sieve) | His family name, Crivelli, in Italian means a sieve. |
| 175 | Gregory VIII (1187) | 12 Ensis Laurentii (The sword of Laurence) | He was Cardinal of St. Laurence and his armorial bearing was a drawn sword. |
| 176 | Clement III (1187-1191) | 13 De schola exiet (Let him come out of school) | His family name was Scolari. |
| 177 | Celestine III (1191-1198) | 14 De rure bovensi (From cattle country) | He was from the Bobone family; a wordplay on cattle. |
| 178 | Innocent III (1198-1216) | 15 Comes signatus (Signed Count) | Descendant of the Segni family. |
| 179 | Honorius III (1216-1227) | 16 Canonicus de latere (A canon from the side or from the Lateran) | He was a canon of St. John Lateran. |
| 180 | Gregory IX (1227-1241) | 17 Avis Ostiensis (Bird of Ostia) | Before his election he was Cardinal of Ostia. |
| 181 | Celestine IV (1241) | 18 Leo Sabinus (The Sabine lion) | He was Cardinal Bishop of Sabina and his armorial bearing had a lion in it. |
| 182 | Innocent IV (1243-1254) | 19 Comes Laurentius (Count Laurence) | He was Cardinal of St. Laurence. |
| 183 | Alexander IV (1254-1261) | 20 Signum Ostiense (A sign of Ostia) | He was Cardinal Bishop of Ostia and member of the Conti-Segni family. |
| 184 | Urban IV (1261-1264) | 21 Hierusalem Campaniae (Jerusalem of Champagne or to Campania) | Native of Troyes, Champagne, later patriarch of Jerusalem. |
| 185 | Clement IV (1265-1268) | 22 Draco depressus (A dragon held down) | His coat of arms had an eagle crushing a dragon. |
| 186 | Gregory X (1271-1276) | 23 Anguinus vir (A snake-like man) | The Visconti coat of arms had a large serpent in it devouring a male child feet first." |
| 187 | Innocent V (1276) | 24 Concionatur Gallus (Let the Frenchman orate or Let the cock crow) | He was born in south-eastern France and was a member of the order of Preachers. |
| 188 | Adrian V (1276) | 25 Bonus Comes (A good count (or companion)) | He was a count and a wordplay on "good" can be made with his name, Ottobono. |
| 189 | John XXI (1276-1277) | 26 Piscator Tuscus (The Tuscan fisherman) | He had been Cardinal Bishop of Tusculum prior to his Papacy. |
| 190 | Nicholas III (1277-1280) | 27 Rosa composita (A compound rose) | He bore a rose in his coat of arms. |
| 191 | Martin IV (1281-1285) | 28 Ex teloneo liliacei Martini (From the customs-house of Martin of the Lilies) | He was Canon and Treasurer at the Church of St. Martin in Tours, France. |
| 192 | Honorius IV (1285-1287) | 29 Ex rosa leonina (Out of the leonine rose) | His coat of arms which showed two lions holding a rose. |
| 193 | Nicholas IV (1288-1292) | 30 Picus inter escas (A woodpecker among fodder). | He was from Ascoli, now called Ascoli Piceno, in Picene country. |
| 194 | St. Celestine V (1294) | 31 Ex eremo celsus (Elevated from a hermit) | Hist.: prior to his election he was a hermit. |
| 195 | Boniface VIII (1294-1303) | 32 Ex undarum benedictione (From a blessing of the waves) | His coat of arms had a wave through it. Also wordplay on his name, Benedetto. |
| 196 | Benedict XI (1303-1304) | 33 Concionator patereus (A "patereus" preacher) | He belonged to the Order of Preachers. |
| 197 | Clement V (1305-1314) | 34 De fessis Aquitanicis (From the Bonds of Aquitaine) | He was a native of St‑Bertrand-de‑Comminges in Aquitaine, and eventually became Archbishop of Bordeaux, also in Aquitaine. |
| 198 | John XXII (1316-1334) | 35 De sutore osseo (Of the bony cobbler) | His family name was Duèze, D'Euze, D'Euzes, or Euse, the last of which might be back-translated into Latin as Ossa. |
| Anti-pope Nicholas V (1328-1330) | 36 Corvus schismaticus (The schismatic crow) | Note the reference to the schism, the only anti-pope at this period. | |
| 199 | Benedict XII (1334-1342) | 37 Frigidus Abbas (Cold Abbot) | He was a priest in the monastery of Fontfroide ("cold spring"). |
| 200 | Clement VI (1342-1352) | 38 De rosa Attrebatensi (From the rose of Arras) | He was Bishop of Arras, (Latin: Episcopus Atrebatensis), and his armorial bearings showed six roses. |
| 201 | Innocent VI (1352-1362) | 39 De montibus Pammachii (From the mountains of Pammachius) | He had been Cardinal Priest of the title Pammachius (i.e., the church of SS. Giovanni e Paolo in Rome) |
| 202 | Urban V (1362-1370) | 40 Gallus Vice-comes (A French viscount) | He was born of a noble French family. |
| 203 | Gregory XI (1370-1378) | 41 Novus de Virgine forti (New from the virgin fort) | Of the family of Beaufort. |
| Anti-pope Clement VII (1378-1394) | 42 De cruce Apostilica (From an apostolic cross) | His coat of arms showed a cross, quarterly pierced. | |
| Anti-pope Benedict XIII (1394-1423) | 43 Luna Cosmedina (The moon of Cosmedin) | He was the famous Peter De Luna, Cardinal of the Title of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. | |
| Anti-pope Clement VIII (1423-1429) | 44 Schisma Barcinonicum (A schismatic from Barcelona) | He was a Canon of Barcelona. | |
| 204 | Urban VI (1378-1389) | 45 De Inferno praegnanti (From hell in childbirth) | His family name was Prignano or Prignani, and he was a native of a place called Inferno near Naples. |
| 205 | Boniface IX (1389-1404) | 46 Cubus de mixtione (The block of mixture) | His coat of arms includes a bend chequy — a wide stripe with a checkerboard pattern. |
| 206 | Innocent VII (1404-1406) | 47 De meliore sydere (From a better star) | There was a large shooting star on his coat of arms. |
| 207 | Gregory XII (1406-1415) | 48 Nauta de ponte nigro (Sailor from the black bridge) | He was Commendatarius of the Church of Nigripontis. |
| Anti-pope Alexander V (1409-1410) | 49 Flagellum Solis (Scourge of the sun) | His coat of arms had a large sun on it. | |
| Anti-pope John XXIII (1410-1415) | 50 Cervus Sirenae (Stag of the Siren) | He became Cardinal of the title of St. Eustachius, who has the stag as an emblem. His family was originally from Naples, which has the emblem of the siren. | |
| 208 | Martin V (1417-1431) | 51 Corona veli aurei (Crown with the golden veil) | His coat of arms had a golden crown resting atop a column. |
| 209 | Eugene IV (1431-1447) | 52 Lupa caelestina (Celestinian or heavenly she-wolf) | He belonged to the order of the Celestines and also was Bishop of Siena which bears a she-wolf on its arms. |
| Antipope Felix V (1439-1449) | 53 Amator crucis (Lover of the Cross) | He was previously the count of Savoy and therefore his coat of arms contained the cross of Savoy. | |
| 210 | Nicholas V (1447-1455) | 54 De modicitate lunae (Of the moon's temperance) | He was born in Sarzana in the diocese of Luni, the ancient name of which was Luna. |
| 211 | Callixtus III (1455-1458) | 55 Bos pascens (Grazing ox) | Alphonse Borgia's arms sported a grazing ox. |
| 212 | Pius II (1458-1464) | 56 De capra et Albergo (From a she-goat and a tavern) | He had been secretary to Cardinal Capranica and Cardinal Albergato before he was elected Pope. |
| 213 | Paul II (1464-1471) | 57 De cervo et Leone (From a stag and a lion) | Possibly refers to his Bishopric of Cervia (a stag) and his Cardinal title of St. Mark (a lion). |
| 214 | Sixtus IV (1471-1484) | 58 Piscator Minorita (Minorite fisherman) | He was born the son of a fisherman and a member of the Minor Friars. |
| 215 | Innocent VIII (1484-1492) | 59 Praecursor Siciliae (A fore-runner from Sicily or of Sicily) | During his earlier years, he spent much time at the court of the King of Sicily. |
| 216 | Alexander VI (1492-1503) | 60 Bos Albanus in portu (Alban bull in the port) | In 1456, he was made a Cardinal and he held the titles of Cardinal Bishop of Albano and Porto. |
| 217 | Pius III (1503) | 61 De parvo homine (From a little man) | His family name was Piccolomini, similar to piccoli uomini = "little men." |
| 218 | Julius II (1503-1513) | 62 Fructus jovis juvabit (The fruit of Jupiter will help) | On his arms was an oak tree, which was sacred to Jupiter. |
| 219 | Leo X (1513-1521) | 63 De craticula Politiana (From a Politian gridiron) | His educator and mentor was the distinguished humanist and scholar, Angelo Poliziano. |
| 220 | Adrian VI (1522-1523) | 64 Leo Florentius (Florentine lion) | His coat of arms had two lions on it, and his name is sometimes given as Adriaan Florens, or other variants, from his father's first name.. |
| 221 | Clement VII (1523-1534) | 65 Flos pilaei aegri (Flower of the Diseased Cap, or Flower of the Cap of the Diseased One) | pilaeus, properly pileus, gen. pilei, a cap; but pila, gen. pilae, a ball; and on his coat of arms were six torteaux (circles/balls), the uppermost of which was charged with three fleurs-de-lis. |
| 222 | Paul III (1534-1549) | 66 Hiacynthus medicorum (The Hyacinth among physicians) | |
| 223 | Julius III (1550-1555) | 67 De corona Montana (Out of the Crown the Mountain) | His coat of arms showed mountains and palm branches laid out in a pattern much like a crown. |
| 224 | Marcellus II (1555) | 68 Frumentum floccidum (Fluffy Wheat) | His coat of arms showed a stag and ears of wheat. |
| 225 | Paul IV (1555-1559) | 69 De fide Petri (Of the faith of Peter) | He is stated to have used his second Christian name Pietro. |
| 226 | Pius IV (1559-1565) | 70 Aesculapii pharmacum (The drug/medicine of Asclepius) | His family name was Medici. |
| 227 | St. Pius V (1566-1572) | 71 Angelus nemorosus (Angel of the Grove) | He was born in Bosco, (Lombardy); the placename means grove. His name was 'Antonio Michele Ghisleri', and Michel relates to the archangel. |
| 228 | Gregory XIII (1572-1585) | 72 Medium corpus pilarum (Middle of a body of balls or ... mortars). | |
| 229 | Sixtus V (1585-1590) | 73 Axis in medietate signi (An axis in the midst of signs) | This is often said to be a description of his coat of arms; but his arms were a lion rampant holding a pear branch, a bend wavy charged with three mountains and a star. |
| 230 | Urban VII (1590) | 74 De rore caeli (Of the Dew of the Heavens) | He had been Archbishop of Rossano in Calabria where sap called "the dew of heaven" is gathered from trees. |
| 231 | Gregory XIV (1590-1591) | 75 De antiquitate Urbis (Of the old age of the city) | He was from Milan, a very old city. |
| 232 | Innocent IX (1591) | 76 Pia civitas in bello (Pious City in War) | He was the Patriarch of Jerusalem before succeeding to the Papacy. |
| 233 | Clement VIII (1592-1605) | 77 Crux Romulea (Cross of Romulus) | His coat of arms show an embattled bend, erroneously stated to be a "Roman cross" (and an embattled bend is not a cross; it's a diagonal stripe with a square wave on both sides). |
| 234 | Leo XI (1605) | 78 Undosus Vir (Wavy Man). | |
| 235 | Paul V (1605-1621) | 79 Gens perversa (The Evil People) | His coat of arms bore a dragon and an eagle, which is stated to be called the Gens Perversa in heraldic circles. |
| 236 | Gregory XV (1621-1623) | 80 In tribulatione pacis (In the disturbance of peace) | |
| 237 | Urban VIII (1623-1644) | 81 Lilium et rosa (Lily and Rose) | His pontificate saw a particular interest in the affairs of France (fleur de lis) and England (the rose). |
| 238 | Innocent X (1644-1655) | 82 Jucunditas crucis (Joy of the Cross) | He was raised to the pontificate after a long and difficult Conclave on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (off by a day). |
| 239 | Alexander VII (1655-1667) | 83 Montium custos (Guardian of the Hills) | His family crest includes three hills with a star above them. |
| 240 | Clement IX (1667-1669) | 84 Sydus Olorum (Star of the swans) | Upon his election, he is stated to have been the occupant of a "Chamber of Swans" in the Vatican. |
| 241 | Clement X (1670-1676) | 85 De flumine magno (From a Great River). | |
| 242 | Innocent XI (1676-1689) | 86 Bellua insatiabilis (Insatiable beast). | |
| 243 | Alexander VIII (1689-1691) | 87 Poenitentia gloriosa (Glorious penitence) | Possibly an allusion to the submission and repentance of the Gallican church during his pontificate. |
| 244 | Innocent XII (1691-1700) | 88 Rastrum in porta (The rake at the door) | Possibly an allusion to a Bull he issued banning nepotism from the Vatican, thus raking the gates to the papacy. |
| 245 | Clement XI (1700-1721) | 89 Flores circumdati (Surrounded by Flowers) | Urbino, the city where the Pope was born, is often stated to include a garland of flowers on its coat of arms. (It does not.) |
| 246 | Innocent XIII (1721-1724) | 90 De bona Religione (Of the Good Religion) | He was from the famous Conti family which had produced several Popes. |
| 247 | Benedict XIII (1724-1730) | 91 Miles in bello (Soldier in War). | |
| 248 | Clement XII (1730-1740) | 92 Columna excelsa (Lofty Column) | |
| 249 | Benedict XIV (1740-1758) | 93 Animal rurale (Rural Animal) | |
| 250 | Clement XIII (1758-1769) | 94 Rosa Umbriae (The Rose of Umbria) | Stated to have served in Umbria before becoming pope, and Umbria's emblem, or his "personal emblem" are variously stated to be the rose; neither is true. |
| 251 | Clement XIV (1769-1774) | 95 Ursus velox (Swift Bear) | It is often stated that his family crest bore a running bear; which is not true, nor did his own coat of arms as Pope. |
| 252 | Pius VI (1775-1799) | 96 Peregrinus Apostolicus (Apostolic wanderer or pilgrim or eagle) | Spent the last two years of his life as a fugitive from the political aftermath of the French Revolution. |
| 253 | Pius VII (1800-1823) | 97 Aquila rapax (Rapacious eagle) | The Pope's pontificate was overshadowed by Napoleon, whose emblem was the eagle. |
| 254 | Leo XII (1823-1829) | 98 Canis et coluber (Dog and adder). | "Dog" and "snake" are common insults, and Leo was widely hated. |
| 255 | Pius VIII (1829-1830) | 99 Vir religiosus (Religious Man). | "Pius" means "a desire and willingness to perform religious duties". |
| 256 | Gregory XVI (1831-1846) | 100 De balneis hetruriae (From the baths of Etruria) | He was a Camaldolese, and the order is stated to have been founded by Saint Romuald, at Balneo, in Etruria, present day Tuscany; which is not true: there is no such place, and St. Romuald founded his order at Camaldoli. Gregory XVI also founded the Etruscan Museum in 1837 with archaeological finds from southern Etruria. |
| 257 | Pius IX (1846-1878) | 101 Crux de cruce (Cross of the Cross) | The Cross is the symbol of the House of Savoy, which reunited Italy and stripped the pope from its territorial possessions. |
| 258 | Leo XIII (1878-1903) | 102 Lumen in caelo (Light in the Sky) | His coat of arms showed a shooting star. |
| 259 | St. Pius X (1903-1914) | 103 Ignis ardens (Burning fire) | See below |
| 260 | Benedict XV (1914- 1922) | 104 Religio depopulata (Religion unpeopled) | See below |
| 261 | Pius XI (1922-1939) | 105 Fides intrepida (Intrepid faith) | See below |
| 262 | Pius XII (1939-1958) | 106 Pastor angelicus (An angelic shepherd) | See below |
| 263 | John XXIII (1958-1963) | 107 Pastor et Nauta (Shepherd and Sailor) | See below |
| 264 | Paul VI (1963-1978) | 108 Flos florum (Flower of flowers) | See below |
| 265 | John Paul I (1978) | 109 De medietate Lunae (Of the middleness of the moon) | See below |
| 266 | John Paul II (1978-2005) | 110 De labore Solis (Of the eclipse of the sun, or from the Labour of the sun or from the pregnancy of the sun) | See below |
| 267 | Benedict XVI (2005-) | 111 Gloria olivae (The glory of the olive or "to the olive") | See below |
| ??? | ???? | In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis ciuitas septicollis diruetur, et Iudex tremdus iudicabit populum suum. Finis. (In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations; when they are over, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the terrible or fearsome Judge will judge his people. The End.) Most scholars believe that this prophecy was added at a later date. | See below |
[edit] Contemporary Popes and the Prophecy
[edit] Pope Pius X (Ignis ardens)
The motto means "ardent" or "burning fire". The pope was known for his great personal piety and strong devotion to the church, advocating reforms such as the codification of Canon law, daily communion and the Gregorian chant in the Catholic liturgy.
[edit] Pope Benedict XV (Religio depopulata)
The motto means "religion laid waste". During Pope Benedict XV's reign, two significant events occurred: World War I, which killed 15 million people in Europe, and the October Revolution in Russia, which established the atheist Soviet Union.
[edit] Pope Pius XI (Fides intrepida)
The motto means "intrepid faith". This pope released the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge which condemned Nazi racism and also signed agreements with Fascist Italy which, among other things, gave the Vatican sovereignty, established the pope as head of state, and added 700 million lire to the church coffers.
[edit] Pope Pius XII (Pastor angelicus)
The motto means "an angelic shepherd". This pope was known to be very mystical, and it was believed that he received visions. His writings added greatly to understanding of Catholic beliefs and church doctrine.
[edit] Pope John XXIII (Pastor et Nauta)
"Pastor et Nauta" translates to "Shepherd and Sailor". Prior to his election he was patriarch of Venice, which is a maritime city, famous for its waterways and gondolas.
According to Peter Bander in The Prophecies of Malachy (TAN Books and Publisher, 1969) during the conclave which was to elect John XXIII, a certain Cardinal from the United States, (Cardinal Spellman of New York) evidently having taken Malachy's forecast that the next pope would be "pastor and mariner" literally, rented a boat, filled it with sheep and sailed up and down the Tiber.
The anti-pope Pius XIII of the True Catholic Church has also claimed to be Pastor et Nauta, as their group believes that his last valid predecessor was Pius XII. He has used justifications including his residence in the United States, which is across the Atlantic Ocean from Rome.
[edit] Pope Paul VI (Flos florum)
Pope Paul VI, who reigned from 1963‑1978, is described in the prophecies as Flos florum (flower of flowers). His personal arms bore three fleurs-de-lis, the well-known symbol in flags and heraldry used to represent the French monarchy. "Fleur-de-lis" literally means "flower of louis" (as a reference to the Louis Kings of France). However, this disregards all the other papal arms that had flowers on them as well.
[edit] Pope John Paul I (De medietate Lunae)
De medietate Lunae translates to "of the half-moon". It could also be interpreted as de media aetate lunae, meaning of the average age of the moon. Albino Luciani, who later became Pope John Paul I, was born in Canale d'Agordo, diocese of Belluno (the name is similar to bella luna, beautiful moon). He was elected on 26 August 1978, the day after the moon reached its last quarter, and reigned for 33 days, approximately five days longer than a lunar cycle. He died the day before the new moon. However, a much simpler explanation might be that he was born on the day of the half moon: on 17 October 1912, the moon was in its first quarter. Others point to his name before becoming pope, Albino Luciani: Albino is related to albus, white, and Luciani, although derived in fact from Lucius, looks like it might be from lux, lucis, light; whence "white light". Still others have linked "half-moon" to the smile often exhibited by John Paul I, who is remembered by many as the "smiling Pope."
[edit] Pope John Paul II (De labore Solis)
The prophetic motto corresponding to Pope John Paul II is De labore Solis, which literally means "Of the labour of the sun", but "labores solis" ("travails of the sun") is a not uncommon metaphor used to mean solar eclipse. Karol Wojtyła, who later became Pope John Paul II, was born on 18 May 1920 during a partial solar eclipse (over the Indian Ocean), and buried on 8 April 2005, the day of a rare "hybrid" eclipse (over the south-western Pacific and South America). He might also be seen to be the fruit of the intercession of the Woman Clothed with the Sun labouring in Revelation 12 (because of his devotion to the Virgin Mary).
It has also been suggested that the associated Latin phrase could also be an anagram for de borealis sol, of the northern sun, being a luminary coming from Poland to the north. (It should be noted, though, that the phrase "de borealis sol" is agrammatical and meaningless in Latin; the correct phrase for "of the northern sun" should be "de boreali sole"). Another interpretation points simply to the sun rising in the east and his being the first Pope from Eastern Europe. Yet another is that he was the first Pope to go around the world, as the Sun seems to do. A further theory is that the combination of labore and solis cryptically refers to "the sun of the workers", i.e., the star of communism, with John Paul being the only pope to have spent much of his life under a communist regime.
During World War II, Karol Wojtyła worked in a quarry (laboring in the sunlight).
[edit] Pope Benedict XVI (Gloria Olivae)
Gloria Olivae, glory of the olive, is the next phrase following De labore Solis. Prior to the papal conclave, this motto led to speculation that the next pontiff would be from the Order of Saint Benedict, whose symbols include the olive branch. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, elected in April 2005, is not a Benedictine, but did choose Benedict XVI as his regnal name, which might be regarded as a fulfillment of this prophecy.
Yet there can also be a different meaning. By choosing the name Benedict, the Pope became linked with St. Benedict, who in turn is distantly connected to the Olivetans, a small sub-order of Benedictines. (Although it is frequently stated that the Order of St Benedict is also known as that of the Olivetans, this is not true: while all Olivetans are Benedictines, few Benedictines are Olivetans.)
Pope Benedict XVI was born on 16 April, the feastday of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre (26 March 1748 - 16 April 1783), also known as the Holy Pilgrim, with whom the Pope now shares both names, Benedict and Joseph. St. Benedict Labre, however, is not associated with olives, Olivetans or Mount Olivet in any way.
Yet another possible interpretation might be that, like his predecessor — who spoke of the Church needing to 'breathe with both lungs' again — Pope Benedict XVI has a special desire to reunite with the Eastern Orthodox churches, which have been separated since the Great Schism in 1054. The olive can of course be taken as a symbol of Greece, and hence the Greek Orthodox Church (and — by extension — the Russian Orthodox Church which grew out of it). If indeed it turns out that reunion with the 'olive' churches is achieved during Benedict's pontificate (the last time, if only briefly, was at the Council of Florence, the seventeenth Ecumenical Council, 1438‑1445; the Union was intensely unpopular at Constantinople and fell apart after her fall in 1453), it would truly be a glorious achievement worthy of St Malachy's phrase, 'Gloria Olivae'.
Another interpretation was that Gloria Olivae would promote world peace, as symbolised by the olive branch. In a general audience on 27 April 2005, Benedict XVI explained that he chose his regnal name as a link to Benedict XV, Religio depopulata, and that "In his footsteps I place my ministry, in the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples, profoundly convinced that the great good of peace is above all a gift of God, a fragile and precious gift to be invoked, safeguarded and constructed, day after day and with everyone's contribution".
Some, who expect Pope Benedict XVI to restore order and discipline (namely, the rule, Latin regula) within the Catholic church (the sheepfold, L. ovilis, whence ovilia, the place where the sheep lay to rest). consider the phrase to be an imperfect and ungrammatical anagram (de regola ovilia - of the rule of the sheepfold) for the counter-reformation he is expected to introduce to counter the misinterpretations of Vatican Council II.
There was a coincidence of two events, both connected to the olive, but unrelated to each other, with the 2005 Conclave: On April 18, a Turkish presidential candidate won the northern Cyprus elections favouring re-unification peace talks of the two sectors; the flag of Cyprus has two inter-locking olive branches in it. Secondly, on April 20, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was forced to resign and later form a new government as a result of pressure from the leftist opposition called l'Ulivo ("The Olive Tree"). Even so, a year later on 11th April, 2006, the same Olive Group led by former EU Commission President, Romano Prodi ("Produs Romanus"), won the Italian general elections, giving more effect to the olive tree hypothesis.
For several years prior to the 2005 Conclave, there was some half-serious speculation, based upon the "gloria olivae" prediction, that John-Paul II's successor would be Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the use of olives to garnish martinis being arguably their ultimate glory. For example, in 2003, Virginia Tech History Professor Fred Baumgartner stated, "St. Malachy told us 900 years ago who the next pope will be - Cardinal Carlo Martini, archbishop emeritus of Milan. Malachy's prophecies, which are brief mottoes that supposedly have identified every pope since 1143, tells us that the next pope will be de Gloria olivae, "the glory of the olive," and who better fits that than Cardinal Martini?!" ("Baumgartner Publishes Book on Papal Elections")
Clemente Domínguez y Gómez, the late self-proclaimed Pope of the Palmarian Catholic Church, also claimed that he was the glory of the olive.
[edit] Petrus Romanus
*****Note: the authenticity of the following prophecy is in doubt, as it lacks some of the data (such as a number) of the others, may have been added later, and has only been listed once as one of the Papal prophecies.*****
Ominously, the longest and final motto reads, "In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, et Iudex tremêndus iudicabit populum suum. Finis." (During the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, the seat will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed his sheep in many tribulations; and when these things are finished, the seven-hilled city will be destroyed, and the terrible Judge will judge his people. The End.)
Several men claiming to be Pope Peter II have emerged in recent years, probably inspired by this motto.
There are several interpretations regarding the last Popes listed by St. Malachy taken by those who believe the prophecies:
- Regarding whether additional Popes, not listed by St. Malachy occur between Gloria Olivae and Petrus Romanus the following differing views are held:
- Gloria Olivae is immediately followed by Petrus Romanus.
- Because no number is assigned to Petrus Romanus, he and Gloria Olivae might be one and the same pope.
- Because no number is assigned to Petrus Romanus, any number of popes could intervene between these two popes.
- Because no number is assigned to Petrus Romanus, it is also possible that this Roman or Italian will not be an actual pope (that is, that "Peter the Roman" may take on the role of the Pope without putting on the robe of the Pope). Under this possible scenario, a catastrophe at the Vatican -- perhaps a terrorist attack -- could wipe out the top leadership of the Church during either a consistory or a conclave of the College of Cardinals. As a result, with no viable College surviving to elect a new pontiff, this particular scenario would have a surviving official of the Roman Curia succeeding to the top leadership of the Church but not as Pope. Since he would not rise to the Papacy itself but instead would become, in effect, the top caretaker of the Church, he would not need to assume a new papal name such as Peter; thus he would keep the name he has had since his birth in Italy, and that name already would be Peter (or, in Italian, Pietro). Currently (that is, as of March 2006) there is only one such candidate for Petrus Romanus within the Roman Curia. His name is Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Under-Secretary of State for Relations with States, appointed by Pope John Paul II in 2002 to serve under Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo. A native of Schiavon, Italy, Monsignor Parolin was born in January 1955.
- That the prophecies are indeed 16th century forgeries.
- Regarding whether the Papacy ends with Petrus Romanus, the following differing views are held:
- Petrus Romanus will be the final Pope. The end of his papacy will mark either the end of the papacy, the end of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church's final triumph, and/or the end of this world (See: Apocalypse, End of the world, Armageddon, Eschatology).
- There will be additional Popes following Petrus Romanus, about which Malachy did not write. There is also the possibility that these additional popes might be considered antipopes, which could justify their omission in St. Malachy's eyes (However, several antipopes are mentioned in the Prophecy.)
- If Petrus Romanus was a later and spurious addition to the prophecy, that leaves Gloria Olivae as the last listed Pope. That could still mean that there are or are not more Popes to come.
Many websites claim that Petrus Romanus does not exist at all. A booklet containing the Papal Prophecies written in the 1950's is the only evidence of a Petrus Romanus and was written by a Catholic. "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city (Rome, the seat of the Vatican) will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge (also) will judge the people. The End."
Recently, an interesting passage that might be related to Petrus Romanus was found in Bible Code by Isaac Newton Bible Code Research Society.It reads, "If Indeed All the Detail of This One is a String, Does Peter Detest the Burden of the Extra Ships? And Does My Throne Rest? So Spoke God's Poor." This passage might be related to the fact that many theoretical particle physicists think that strings are the basic ingredients of all particles observed in nature.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- List of Popes and their corresponding mottos
- Discussion of the Prophecy of the Popes
- General Audience: Pope tells why he chose the name of Benedict
- St. Malachy's Prophecy of the Popes
[edit] References
Hogue, John (2000). The Last Pope. Element. ISBN 1-86204-732-4. Bander, Peter (1969). The Prophecies of St. Malachy. TAN Books and Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-8189-0189-6.
