anyone familiar with the prophecies of st. malachy?

Question

its my understanding he has an amazing track record on his prophecies concerning lives of the popes, and he said the next pontiff ( after Benedict) will be the pope of darkness. and that will be the end of the world. i googled , found no info. believe he was 14th or 15th century.

Answer 1

There's plenty of information on St Malachi and his prophecies: http://www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp; http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/hudson/malachi.html; http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09565a.htm.

None of St Malachi's prophecies are so clearly worded that every pope prophesied can be easily identified. It's rather the Catholic equivalent of Nostradamus - ''Peter the Roman'' can almost be any pope.

Concerning the Popes

The most famous and best known prophecies about the popes are those attributed to St. Malachy. In 1139 he went to Rome to give an account of the affairs of his diocese to the pope, Innocent II, who promised him two palliums for the metropolitan Sees of Armagh and Cashel. While at Rome, he received (according to the Abbé Cucherat) the strange vision of the future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time. The same author tells us that St. Malachy gave his manuscript to Innocent II to console him in the midst of his tribulations, and that the document remained unknown in the Roman Archives until its discovery in 1590 (Cucherat, "Proph. de la succession des papes", ch. xv). They were first published by Arnold de Wyon, and ever since there has been much discussion as to whether they are genuine predictions of St. Malachy or forgeries. The silence of 400 years on the part of so many learned authors who had written about the popes, and the silence of St. Bernard especially, who wrote the "Life of St. Malachy", is a strong argument against their authenticity, but it is not conclusive if we adopt Cucherat's theory that they were hidden in the Archives during those 400 years.

These short prophetical announcements, in number 112, indicate some noticeable trait of all future popes from Celestine II, who was elected in the year 1143, until the end of the world. They are enunciated under mystical titles. Those who have undertaken to interpret and explain these symbolical prophecies have succeeded in discovering some trait, allusion, point, or similitude in their application to the individual popes, either as to their country, their name, their coat of arms or insignia, their birth-place, their talent or learning, the title of their cardinalate, the dignities which they held etc. For example, the prophecy concerning Urban VIII is Lilium et Rosa (the lily and the rose); he was a native of Florence and on the arms of Florence figured a fleur-de-lis; he had three bees emblazoned on his escutcheon, and the bees gather honey from the lilies and roses. Again, the name accords often with some remarkable and rare circumstance in the pope's career; thus Peregrinus apostolicus (pilgrim pope), which designates Pius VI, appears to be verified by his journey when pope into Germany, by his long career as pope, and by his expatriation from Rome at the end of his pontificate. Those who have lived and followed the course of events in an intelligent manner during the pontificates of Pius IX, Leo XIII, and Pius X cannot fail to be impressed with the titles given to each by the prophecies of St. Malachy and their wonderful appropriateness: Crux de Cruce (Cross from a Cross) Pius IX; Lumen in caelo (Light in the Sky) Leo XIII; Ignis ardens (Burning Fire) Pius X. There is something more than coincidence in the designations given to these three popes so many hundred years before their time. We need not have recourse either to the family names, armorial bearings or cardinalatial titles, to see the fitness of their designations as given in the prophecies. The afflictions and crosses of Pius IX were more than fell to the lot of his predecessors; and the more aggravating of these crosses were brought on by the House of Savoy whose emblem was a cross. Leo XIII was a veritable luminary of the papacy. The present pope is truly a burning fire of zeal for the restoration of all things to Christ.

The last of these prophecies concerns the end of the world and is as follows: "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." It has been noticed concerning Petrus Romanus, who according to St. Malachy's list is to be the last pope, that the prophecy does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor designated Gloria olivæ. It merely says that he is to be the last, so that we may suppose as many popes as we please before "Peter the Roman". Cornelius a Lapide refers to this prophecy in his commentary "On the Gospel of St. John" (C. xvi) and "On the Apocalypse" (cc. xvii-xx), and he endeavours to calculate according to it the remaining years of time.

Answer 2

When you read what St. Malachy has written, and you can buy the book from Tan Publishers, there are interpretations. He has a remarkable track record for sure. If I remember the next pope is to be the last one, or is he talking about Peter the Roman who will be last, but maybe not yet. I mean could there be other popes between Pope Benedict and Peter the Roman? Only time will tell. Like all prophecies, they must be taken with caution. But St. Malachy continues to fascinate me too.

Answer 3

A little bit. St. Malachi was an Irish bishop of the 12th century who reportedly saw the names of the all of the Popes from his day until the end of the Church on earth.

According to Malachi, Pope John Paul II was the second-from-last Pope. The newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI is the next to last; the Pope following him will be the final Pope.

Wrote St. Malachy of the last pope: "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, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge the people. The End."

St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote a biography called "Life of Saint Malachy." St. Malachi was known to have the gift of prophesy and had even predicted the exact day and hour of his own death. Saint Malachy was canonized in 1190 by Pope Clement III.

As to his prophesies, keep an "open mind." He "supposedly" gave the original manuscript to Pope Innocent II who "supposedly" deposited it in Vatican Archives where it lay forgotten until it was discovered in 1590 and published.

So it is perfectly legitimate to question its authenticity and encourage debate on the subject.

You can read his prophesies and some commentary here
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/4/3/180901.shtml

Pax Vobiscum+

Answer 4

the last pope will be Peter, who will finally feed his sheep, then the rain of ....nevermind.

St John Bosco's prophetic dreams are also relevant. This one reminds me of Y!A R&S
http://www.miraclerosarymission.org/bosco.html

The prophecies are at the bottom of this page
http://www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp

It is only a list with a blurb at the bottom regarding the city on the seven hills.

Answer 5

When this pope came into his office, I also had the thought that it was either him or the next one that would be in with the anti christ. I have also heard this from someone else on here before. Looks like the end is near!

Answer 6

Thats funny. I Googled him and got loads

Answer 7

Look here:
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu6Y2jFFHrYMByaZXNyoA?p=prophecies+of+st.+malachy&y=Search&fr=ush-ans&ei=UTF-8

Answer 8

google again.