This morning, the Church was shaken by the news of the passing of Pope Francis, the successor of Holy St. Peter. In this profound moment transition, many are turning their eyes toward an ancient and controversial text—the Prophecies of St. Malachy. With curiosity reignited across the Catholic world, it is fitting to approach these writings with a discerning and faithful mind, guided by the light of Tradition and sound doctrine.
St. Malachy (1094–1148), the Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland, was a reforming bishop and miracle worker, known for his holiness, obedience to Rome, and tireless efforts to renew the Irish Church. According to legend, during a pilgrimage to Rome in the 1130s, he experienced a vision of future popes—successors to St. Peter from his own day until the end of time. These were recorded in a series of cryptic Latin phrases, each supposedly describing a future pontiff.
The document was first published in 1595 by Benedictine monk Arnold Wion in his book Lignum Vitae. Notably, it had remained unknown for over four centuries—an omission that raises legitimate questions about its authenticity.
The Prophecies of the Popes, as they are known, consist of 112 short mottoes, each corresponding to a pope. From Celestine II (elected in 1143) to the final pope, described as Petrus Romanus (“Peter the Roman”), the mottos range from strikingly accurate to seemingly vague.
Some examples are compelling:
“Lumen in Coelo” – “Light in the sky,” associated with Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903), whose coat of arms featured a blazing star.
“Pastor Angelicus” – “The Angelic Shepherd,” linked to Pope Pius XII (1939–1958), often described as dignified, noble, and ascetic in bearing.
“Flos Florum” – “Flower of flowers,” applied to Pope Paul VI (1963–1978), whose coat of arms included three fleurs-de-lis.
Skeptics rightly point out that the mottos before 1590 are surprisingly accurate—perhaps too accurate. The post-publication prophecies, by contrast, often seem far less specific, open to interpretation, and sometimes only fit after the fact.
From a faithful Catholic perspective, it is essential to distinguish private revelation from the deposit of faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that, even when approved by the Church, private revelations “do not belong… to the deposit of faith” and “are not to improve or complete Christ’s definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it” (CCC 67).
The Prophecies of St. Malachy have never been formally recognized by the Magisterium. No pope or council has declared them authentic. Most scholars consider them a likely 16th-century forgery, perhaps intended to influence the papal conclave of 1590.
Nevertheless, many faithful have looked upon the document not as doctrine, but as a curiosity—possibly containing some spiritual insight, or else a providential echo of the truth, if not its source.
In any case, Catholics should not regard these prophecies as such, but rather as curiosities that ought to be viewed with skepticism and caution. Nor should the final prophecy matter, for as Christians we are called to always be ready for our last day, which may come at any moment. Our lives are far more likely to come to a natural or accidental end, than we are to witness the Glory of the Second Coming. We may hope! But given the dubious nature of this list of prophecies, we should not expect anything to come of them.
Still, they are remarkable to behold, and consider. The final, and most haunting prophecy is this: Pettrus Romanus.
“In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, & Judex tremendus judicabit populum suum. Finis.”
“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 city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge His people. The End.”
Unlike the preceding mottos, this entry is not a brief label but a narrative—a grim, apocalyptic warning. Many have speculated that this prophecy refers to the final pope before the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world.
It is vital here for me to once more assert caution. The Church does not teach that the end is near, nor does She encourage speculative eschatology. Our Lord Himself warned: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matt. 24:36). No private prophecy can override this divine truth.
In recent years, some have attempted to link Pope Francis to the penultimate motto: “Gloria olivae” – “Glory of the Olive.” Others dispute this, pointing to errors in the count and confusion regarding anti-popes and non-resident popes during exile.
If Pope Francis was, indeed, the final pope of the list, it would make his successor Petrus Romanus. But this does not necessarily mean that we face the end of the world. Apocalyptic interpretation is a dangerous road, particularly for Catholics, whose faith rests not in signs and wonders, but in Christ and His unshakable promises.
As we await the next conclave, which will begin in about two weeks, we must do so not in alarm, but in prayer and trust. The Holy Spirit remains with the Church. The successor of Peter will come not by prophecy, but by Providence.
St. Malachy, if he received anything from Heaven, did not leave a guidebook for discerning the end times. What he may have offered is a reminder: that every pope is a shepherd, called to lead souls toward Christ in a world that ever changes, and often suffers.
As faithful Catholics, we are not called to decode the end, but to live each day as if Christ will come tomorrow—and to be ready, through grace, when He does.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
(Hebrews 13:8)
Let us pray for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul, and for the cardinals who will soon gather in solemn duty to choose his successor.
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