by Shirley Miller, Sr. Editor
April 2, 2005

from LampholderPub Website
 

This Lampholder edition briefly looks at Catholic prophecy and the prophecy of St. Malachy. Non-Catholics may find this
portrayal of Catholic prophecy very interesting because of an interest in eschatology and other Biblical end-times prophecy.



THE LAST GREAT POPE
Pope John Paul II
1920 - 2005

Pope John Paul II to a small group of Catholics in Germany in 1980 and as quoted by the German magazine Stimme des Glaubens regarding the Third Secret of Fatima -

"It should be sufficient for all Christians to know this much - a message in which it is said that the oceans will flood entire sections of the earth; that, from one moment to the other, millions of people will perish... there is no longer any point in really wanting to publish this secret message. Many want to know merely out of curiosity, or because of their taste for sensationalism, but they forget that ’to know’ implies for them a responsibility. It is dangerous to want to satisfy one’s curiosity only, if one is convinced that we can do nothing against a catastrophe that has been predicted."

Pope John Paul II died April 2, 2005
Abbot
(Merlin) Joachim (d. 1202) wrote about a coming "great pope," who would emerge on the world scene near the end-times, "This holy Pope shall be both pastor and reformer...," he wrote. John of Vatiguerro (13th Century) wrote, "After many tribulations a Pope will be elected out of those who escaped persecution... he will be devoid of fear." Pope John Paul II has been referred to by many as "the fearless pope."

In the coming weeks, Pope John Paul II will be honored as a man of peace, a friend to the Jews, a sympathizer to the Muslim/Palestinian cause, and the Catholic pope who helped to bring down communism. In his love for children, he was outspoken in the fight against abortion and the plight of the helpless - the unborn.

During the upcoming funeral proceedings honoring the pope, you may hear many faithful Catholics, priests, bishops, and theologians refer to John Paul II as "the great pope." This particular title bestowed upon John Paul may have prophetic significance in the time-line in both Catholicism and overall Biblical history. Even if you are not Catholic, the world will honor a good man, a man of peace, and perhaps, "the last great pope."

There are a number of really interesting prophecies as to why Pope John Paul may be remembered as the last great pope, and they are all associated with the end-times. Some are of Catholic origin and other prophetic examples using the marking of the papal succession as time-pointers to the emergence of the anti-christ.
 


ST. MALACHY O’MORGAIR, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH, IRELAND

St. Malachy (1049 - 1148) was an Irish Bishop, prophet, and seer, who prophesied the reign of future popes by a one-sentence verse to describe each popes’ characteristics. During a visit to Rome, St. Malachy had a vision of the papal lineage. Malachy’s prophecy remained hidden in the Vatican until it was discovered in 1595. Some reports indicate St. Malachy’s visions were merely a fabrication done some 600 years later by a Belgian monk named Arnold de Wion (also de Wyon); but after reading St. Malachy’s list of popes, there is an interesting prophetic scenario that emerges.

There are two versions of St. Malachy’s prophecy:

  • one list included 112 popes

  • the other 111

In the latter, the 111th pope [Gloria Olivae], is passed over and the list skips right to the last, the 112th pope. So which version is correct?

In both accounts, the list begins with Pope Celestine II (1146). In Malachy’s list of 112 popes, he gives the characteristics of the last three future popes including and following [what some have interpreted to be] John Paul II, the 110th pope. Malachy doesn’t give any indication as to what happens after the last pope, so many scholars conclude this to mean the end of time. Interestingly, a very old Italian prophecy reads,

"When the White Pope and the Black Pope (Head of the Jesuits or an Anti-Pope) shall die during the same night, then there will dawn upon the Christian nations the Great White Day."

In the papal election, the cardinals gather together to vote by secret ballot. The cardinals choose three who collect the ballots, three who count the votes, and three who review the results. Two votes are taken every morning and two every afternoon until a two-thirds plus one majority is obtained. Catholic followers in St. Peter’s Square watch the balloting by way of an ancient custom - the smoke rising from the palace chimney as the ballots are burned. If the majority vote has not been reached, the smoke burns black. When the majority of ballots have chosen the next pope, the chimney burns "white smoke" to signal the outcome of the election has been resolved.

From what The Lampholder has pieced together on ancient prophecy and Catholic tradition, there will be "five" popes leading up to and including "the great pope." The great pope would be the first of the last three popes who would follow in succession. The last pope (the anti-pope) will emerge at approximately the same time the anti-christ comes to power on the world scene. According to some ancient prophetic texts, the papal time-line is very important because the final three popes, including John Paul II, were to usher in the final age of the papal lineage of the Catholic church.


According to the Paduan commentary, Pius XII (1939-1958) was the pope chosen at the beginning of the anti-christ’s reign.(2) This is obviously incorrect because Pope Pius XII doesn’t fit the papal genealogical time-line. According to Catholic tradition, a pope chosen to reign near the beginning of the anti-christ’s rule would never be coronated. This pope would be assassinated before he was crowned [or soon thereafter.] Pope Pius XII reigned for almost 19 years, and so he would have to be excluded in the count.

 

This could be the reason why one version of Malachy’s prophecy skips the 111th pope and jumps to the 112th - the 111th pope never really gets the chance to reign as pope. Also, Pius XII was the first of the five popes in succession leading up to John Paul II (the 110th pope). Pope John Paul II is the first of the last three popes leading to the reign of the anti-christ. Although short-lived, the next elected pope would follow in the traditions and work of Pope John Paul II.

The succession of popes may present a very interesting picture of the timing of world and end-time events; but where did the countdown begin? According to ancient prophecy and St. Malachy’s papal time-line, the counting of the five began after Pope Pius XI which would make John Paul II the fifth, and the last great pope, in the line of prophetic popes.
 


Papal Lineage to the end-times
(According to St. Malachy’s prophecy)

  • Piux XI 1922-1939 - Fides Intrepida (fearless faith)
     

  • Pius XII 1939-1958 - Pastor Angelicus (the 1st of the Angelic Shepherds). In 1945, Pope Pius XII stated, "The world is on the verge of a frightful abyss ... Men must prepare themselves for suffering such as mankind has never seen."
     

  • John XXIII 1958-1963 - Pastor and mariner; shepherd and sailor
     

  • Paul VI 1963-1978 - Flos Florum (Flower of flowers)
     

  • John Paul I 1978 - De Medietate Lunae (Of the half moon) (born Albino Luciani, in Canale d’Ogardo, diocese of Belluno, (aka lovely moon) (John Paul I reigned for 34 days from half a moon to the next half... before he died suddenly and mysteriously.)
     

  • 110th Pope - John Paul II 1978-2005 De Labore Solis (he was born during a solar eclipse May 18, 1920 and died near a partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2005; i.e., the pope of the eclipse; the labor, or eclipse, of the Sun; the true pope) - one version of St. Malachy omits De medietate Lunae (from half of the Moon). Pope John Paul II’s funeral is to be held "during" the solar eclipse on April 8th!
     

  • 111th Pope? “De Gloria Olivae” From the Glory of the Olive (The Assassinated Pope-elect?)
     

  • 112th Pope? The Last Pope - Petrus Romanus (Peter the Roman; the apostate pope; the anti-pope?)

    1. "During the last persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit upon the throne, Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep amid great tribulations, and when these are passed, the City of the Seven Hills (Rome) will be utterly destroyed, and the awful Judge will then judge the people" - St. Malachy

There are a number of other reasons why Pope John Paul could be associated with the last great pope:

  • the color of the great pope’s funeral robe was foretold to be the color red, rather than white

  • after John Paul, the Vatican portrait gallery has a space for only two more papal portraits

  • and the last great pope would previously have been a cardinal

It will be the last great pope that will reign just prior to the coming tribulation as Werdin d’Otrante (13 Century) wrote,

"The Great Monarch and the Great Pope will precede Anti-Christ."

[Wilson, 1883]


St. Hildegard’s Prophecy


St Hildegard (d.1179) wrote about a day of destruction that will come upon the entire world -

"A powerful wind will rise in the North carrying heavy fog and the densest dust (darkness?) by divine command and it will fill their throats and eyes so they will cease their savagery and be stricken with a great fear... Before the Comet comes, many nations, the good excepted, will be scoured with want and famine. The great nation [the United States] in the ocean that is inhabited by people of different tribes and descent by an earthquake, storm and tidal waves will be devastated.

 

It will be divided, and in great part be submerged... The Comet by its tremendous pressure, will force much out of the ocean and flood many countries, causing much want and many plagues. All sea coast cities will be fearful and many of them will be destroyed by tidal waves, and most living creatures will be killed and even those who escape will die from a horrible disease. For in none of those cities does a person live according to the laws of God."


Pope John Paul II and The Secret of Fatima

"The Third Secret is apocalyptic and therefore corresponds to the eschatological texts of Sacred Scripture. This is what Cardinal Ratzinger pointed out when he revealed that the Secret concerns the ‘novissimi’ – the ‘last things’ and corresponds to what is revealed in Sacred Scripture. Pope John Paul II, when asked about the Third Secret in Germany, stated that,

"we must be prepared to undergo great trials in the not too distant future, trials that will require us to be ready to give up our lives..."

Pope John Paul II, as Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, elaborated this theme during a visit to the United States in 1976:

"We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American Society or wide circles of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel.2 It is a trial which the Church must take up."

There were three parts to the Secret of Fatima. The first two parts have long ago been revealed. These were concerning the appearance of the Angel at Fatima in 1916 and the Vision of Hell which Our Lady showed the children in July 1917. The third part of the Secret has not yet been officially revealed as such.

The following reported dialogue of Pope John Paul II concerning the famous Third Secret of Fatima, the secret that was opened by Pope John XXIII in 1960 and which has not been fully and officially revealed by the Vatican, is very interesting.

This Secret was revealed by Our Lady on July 13, 1917, to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco. It was entrusted to Lucia to transmit it to the Holy Father. This she did by means of a letter which was opened in 1960 as Our Lady indicated was to be done. It was this secret that the children, on August 13, 1917, would not reveal to the Masonic mayor of Ourem - even after being imprisoned and threatened with death.

 

The children would rather die than disobey Our Lady in this matter. But that it was to be eventually made public seems to be Lucia’s understanding, because in the book by Father De Marchi, which Sister Lucia personally approved of, the author indicated that the Secret would be revealed by the Holy Father.

Here is the confirmation, almost to the letter also, of the apocalyptic prophecy in the unofficial version of the ´Third Secret´ which for years has been in circulation without being denied: 

... the waters of the ocean will become vapor, and the foam will rise up overwhelming and drowning everything. Millions and millions of people will die hourly ...´)"