The Prophecy of Malachi
Malachi, a Cistercian monk predicted the succession of popes up to the last one... how many are still missing?
Malachi was a Cistercian monk who was also bishop and primate of Ireland. He lived between 1094 and 1148. He was an energetic reformer, especially of monasteries, he died in Clairvaux, assisted by Saint Bernard, whom he had met during a trip to Rome (1139) from where he had returned to his homeland as legate of the Holy See.
The Prophecy on the Popes, from Celestine II to the end of the world, has been attributed to Malachi, in which each pontiff is designated with a short motto (111 in total). The work, later found to be apocryphal, was probably written in the second half of the 16th century and was published in 1595 by the Benedictine Arnold Wion who included it in his Lignum Vitae, published in Venice.
This prophecy, feared and discussed, has not always appeared precise in offering a clear relationship between the motto and the relevant Pope. However, by arming ourselves with patience and interpretative effort we can try to identify, through the mottos, the popes closest to ours times.
Pius IX (1846-1878) motto: Crux de cruce: perhaps signifying the tribulation of the Church during the unification of the Italian State.
Leo XIII (1878-1903) motto: Lumen coeli : perhaps referring to this pope's coat of arms which contained a glittering comet.
Pius _ _ _
Benedict XV (1914-1922) motto: Religio depopulata : signifying the millions of Catholics who died during the First World War.
Pius XI (1922-1939) motto: Fides intrepida : the struggle of faith against national socialist regimes.
Pius XII (1939-1958) motto: Pastor Angelicus : he was defined by many as the Shepherd Pope with an angelic bearing.
John XXIII (1958-1963) motto: Pastor et Nauta : he was patriarch of Venice and traveled a lot.
Paul VI (1963-1978) motto: Flos florum : in his coat of arms there were three flowers.
John Paul I (1978) motto: Demeditate lunae : signifying his very short pontificate which lasted just over a lunar month.
John Paul II (1978- ) motto: De labore solis : perhaps it is the reference to the tireless activity carried out in various fields.
The current pontiff should be succeeded by one identified by the motto Gloria Olivae, in reference, perhaps, to a period of universal peace, then there would be - according to Malachi - the catastrophe, with the last pope, identified unlike the others with a real and own prophecy:
<<In persecutione extrema Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae sedebit Petrus Romanus qui pascet oves in multis tribulationis, quibus transactis septicolis diruentur et Judex tremendus judicabat populum suum.Amen>>
= During the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman Church, Peter the Roman will sit (on the throne), who will feed his flock amidst many tribulations; once these have passed, the city of the seven hills will be destroyed and the terrible judge will judge his people.
