The prophecy of St. Malachy refers to a list of 112 short phrases that supposedly predict all the popes that would preside over the Catholic Church. This list is attributed to St. Malachy, a 12th century Irish archbishop who allegedly experienced visions of future popes during a visit to Rome in 1139. However, the authenticity and origin of the prophecy is debated by scholars.
According to the traditional account, while visiting Rome in 1139, Malachy experienced a vision showing him all the popes from his day to the end of time. He recorded each pope with a descriptive Latin phrase, ranging from a few words to a short sentence. For example, Pope John Paul II was described as “De Labore Solis” or “From the Labor of the Sun.” These phrases are supposed to highlight something about each pope’s papacy or personal history.
The list remained unknown until 1590 when a Benedictine monk named Arnold de Wyon published it attributing it to Saint Malachy. He claimed the manuscript was discovered in the Vatican archives. The prophecy became popular as people tried to make sense of the descriptive Latin phrases and connect them to individual popes.
However, modern scholars debate the authorship and authenticity of the prophecy for a few reasons:
- No record exists mentioning the prophecy before its 1595 publication.
- The descriptions are very accurate for popes before 1590, but become vague after that.
- Some phrases clearly correspond to the pope’s family name or coat of arms rather than their reign.
- The list ends at 112 popes, indicating it was likely written around the time of Pope Innocent II (elected in 1130) when there were approximately 112 popes total.
Based on these doubts, most experts believe the prophecy is a 16th century forgery written by someone other than St. Malachy. However, there are a few different theories on the true origin:
- It was fabricated by Arnold de Wyon himself to influence an election in 1590.
- It was written as propaganda supporting Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli’s bid to become pope in 1590.
- It was composed by a nostradamus-like seer to be published after his death.
Regardless of whether St. Malachy truly wrote the prophecy in 1139, people remain fascinated by its cryptic messages. As each pope retires or passes away, people try to interpret the next motto in the list and connect it to possible successors or current events in the church. The phrases grow more vague over time, open to many interpretations.
For example, the phrase for the current pope Francis is “In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman” leading some to worry it predicts he will preside over the church’s destruction or tribulations. However, not all mottos clearly connect and some question if the list has any true prophetic significance left. Overall, the prophecy remains an intriguing mystery.
Content of the Prophecy
The prophecy consists of 111 short Latin phrases describing all the popes since Pope Celestine II (1143 AD) up until an unnamed pope described as “Peter the Roman”. Each motto gives a symbolic description of the pope’s reign, character, or apsects of his life or papacy. The 112th and final motto predicts this Pope “Peter the Roman” will see the destruction of Rome.
Some examples of the Latin phrases and how they correspond to certain popes include:
- “Religio Depopulata” (Religion Destroyed) – Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922) who presided during World War 1
- “Fides Intrepida” (Unshaken Faith) – Pope Pius X (1903-1914) who promoted traditional faith and opposed modernism.
- “Lumen in Coelo” (Light in the Sky) – Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) who was known for his intellectual brilliance.
- “De Balneis Etruriae” (From the Baths of Etruria) – Pope Pius II (1458-1464) who was born in Italy near the Etruscan baths.
While some mottos clearly connect to events or aspects of that pope’s life, other links are more abstract or debatable. The vague nature of the phrases allows for multiple interpretations and fulfillments.
The last prophecy (112) reads:
In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, & judex tremêdus judicabit 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, at the term of which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.
This ominous apocalyptic final motto predicts the destruction of Rome overseen by a mysterious Pope “Peter the Roman.” This led some to worry about Pope Francis whose father was named Peter, even though Francis is Argentinian not Roman. However, the exact meaning and fulfillment remains to be seen.
History of the Prophecy
The first known record of the prophecy comes from a book published in 1595 by Benedictine monk Arnold de Wyon. He attributes the prophecies to Saint Malachy of Ireland who served as archbishop of Armagh in the 12th century. Here is a brief history behind the origins of the prophecy:
- 1139 AD – Malachy visits Rome and reportedly experiences a vision showing brief Latin phrases for all future popes.
- 1139-1590 – No historical record exists of the prophecy, supposedly kept secret in Rome.
- 1590 – Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli finds the prophecy in archives and starts circulating it.
- 1595 – Arnold de Wyon publishes the prophecy naming Saint Malachy as the author.
- 1596-Present – The prophecy grows in popularity as people match descriptions to popes.
Saint Malachy was born in 1094 in Northern Ireland. He served as bishop and introduced reforms in Ireland. In 1139, Malachy traveled to Rome to give an account of his diocese and while there he supposedly received a vision showing him all the popes from his time to the end of the world. He recorded each pope with a short cryptic Latin description.
These alleged prophecies remained unknown and unmentioned until the 1590 papal conclave after the death of Pope Urban VII. Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli found the text in the Vatican archives and began circulating it in hopes of being elected pope. The prophecy gave positive descriptions to popes elected between 1143-1590, so Cardinal Simoncelli assumed the next motto referred to him and would help his candidacy if known. Although he was not elected, the prophecy spread in popularity.
Five years later in 1595, Benedictine monk Arnold de Wyon published the prophecies attributing them to Saint Malachy, explaining the manuscript had been discovered in Rome. The prophecies were most likely written around 1590, but falsely attributed to Malachy to give them credibility and mystical appeal. From 1596 onward, people matched the descriptions to each pope trying to interpret the meanings.
Authenticity and Origins
The prophecy’s origins remain disputed among scholars. While traditionally attributed to St. Malachy’s visions in 1139, most experts conclude the phrases were fabricated sometime between 1590-1596 for political reasons, likely to influence a papal election. Here are some of the key points of debate:
- No record before 1590 – No mention of the prophecy exists before 1590 among Malachy’s biographers and histories of popes.
- Accuracy before 1590 – The descriptions match earlier popes very accurately but become vague after the late 1500s.
- Internal evidence – Some phrases clearly match family names or mottos of popes elected after 1590.
- Ends with Pope 111 – List ends at 111 popes matching when the text was likely written around 1590.
The above evidence suggests the prophecy was created around 1590 then attributed to Saint Malachy to boost credibility. However, there are a few theories on who the actual author may have been:
- Arnold de Wyon – Some suspect de Wyon fabricated it himself in 1590 to influence the election.
- Cardinal Simoncelli – The original discoverer and circulator had motive to create it for his election.
- Nostradamus-like prophet – An occultist or prophet authored it as prediction to be revealed after his death.
While nearly all scholars dismiss a 12th century Malachy authorship, the true origin remains disputed. The evidence suggests it was penned around 1590 then published in 1595, but the actual identity of the author remains uncertain.
Interpretations and Commentary
Although inauthentic, people remain fascinated by the prophecy and offer various interpretations of its cryptic Latin phrases. Here are some key points about analyzing and interpreting the text:
- Some clearly describe a pope’s early life or family origins rather than their reign.
- Phrases grow increasingly vague after 1590 and open to loose interpretation.
- Scholars caution links between phrases and popes are often superficial or forced.
- The open-ended nature allows connecting many events to the phrases.
While a handful of earlier mottoes have obvious links to events in that pope’s life, most are short cryptic phrases allowing for multiple interpretations. Scholars warn people often force connections that are superficial at best, tailoring facts to match the prophecy.
For example, the phrase “Religio Depopulata” for Pope Benedict XV who reigned during World War 1 is relatively clear. However the meaning behind “De Balneis Etruriae” (From the Baths of Etruria) for Pope Pius II is less obvious beyond his Italian birthplace. Many phrases have loose connections at best, especially further along the list.
The vague nature allows people to creatively match the mottoes to aspects of each pope’s life or reign, even confirm the prophecy. This flexibility and multiplicity of interpretations explains its enduring appeal and fascination over the centuries.
Criticisms and Concerns
While popular, many criticize the questionable origin and nature of the prophecy as an inauthentic fabrication. Interpreting the mottoes as supernatural predictions raises concerns as well, including:
- Text likely created around 1590, not 1139 vision of Saint Malachy.
- Forgery falsely attributed to Saint Malachy to boost credibility.
- Vague phrases just cleverly crafted to sound prophetic.
- Confirmation bias forces facts to match cryptic mottoes.
- Risks fostering sensationalist end times predictions.
Given the circumstantial evidence, most scholars consider the prophecy an interesting forgery. Even if treating it as a genuine supernatural vision, making definitive predictions based on short cryptic Latin phrases remains highly speculative and susceptible to confirmation bias.
While an intriguing historical curiosity, the many criticisms and doubtful origins suggest caution in putting too much prophetic weight on the Saint Malachy prophecy about future popes and the destruction of Rome.
Relevance to Modern Times
The prophecy continues to pique interest today every time a pope retires or dies. People search the list to identify the next motto and connect it to possible successors or current events in the church. Here are some ways it remains relevant in modern times:
- 112th prophecy warns the “last” pope will see Rome’s destruction, causing apocalyptic speculation.
- Next motto in sequence offers clues for predicting qualities of successor pope.
- Captures public imagination as a medieval prophecy stretching across centuries.
- Remains open-ended enough for creative interpretations fitting current events.
The apocalyptic final prophecy warning of the destruction of Rome ensures ongoing relevance whenever a pope’s reign nears its end. People speculate on whether the current pope will be the last before this cataclysmic event.
Additionally, the sequence provides insight into the next pope. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio adopted the name Francis when elected in 2013, matching the prophecy’s next motto “In the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman Church”. This demonstrates the mottoes’ ongoing relevance to papal elections.
The prophecy’s mysterious medieval origin story combined with the ability to flexibly interpret meanings ensures ongoing fascination in the modern digital age. People continue searching the cryptic Latin phrases for relevance to contemporary events in the church.
Theological Implications
The Saint Malachy prophecy carries significant theological implications if treated as a genuine prophetic revelation, including:
- Affirms Catholic doctrine on gifts of prophecy and visions.
- Reveals God’s omniscience in planning course of church history.
- Harbinger of the end times and second coming of Christ.
- Fate and role of the papacy in God’s plan for salvation.
- Future collapse or perseverance of the institutional church.
However, given most experts dismiss the authenticity of the prophecy, relying on it theology would be ill-advised. While an interesting medieval artifact, it ultimately carries little authoritative weight.
If credibly verified as originating from a divinely inspired vision, it would significantly impact Catholic theology surrounding the papacy. But unless established as legitimate prophecy, theologically it offers limited value beyond historical curiosity.
Opposing Views
While popular interest endures, most scholar strongly dispute the legitimacy of the prophecy. Here are common critiques from academics and historians:
- No record exists of the prophecy before 1590, calling 12th century origins into question.
- Internal evidence suggests it was authored around 1590, not 1139 vision of Saint Malachy.
- Many phrases conveniently match up with post-1590 papal coat of arms or family names.
- Earlier matches between mottoes and popes may simply be due to clever phrase crafting.
- Vague nature allows stretching interpretations to fit the facts, not true predictions.
Given these objections, most experts conclude the prophecy first surfaced in the late 16th century from an unknown author, not from Saint Malachy’s alleged 12th century vision. Authentication of the document remains speculative at best.
A minority of scholars argue some evidence potentially leaves room for authenticity, such as:
- Accuracy for earlier popes before motives for forgery arose.
- Linguistic style analysis matches 12th century Latins texts.
- Possible oral tradition or scattered text before full publication.
However, most regard these counterarguments as insufficient to overcome doubts surrounding authorship and compared to evidence for its late 16th century fabrication.
Conclusion
The prophecy of Saint Malachy offers an intriguing medieval artifact predicting all future popes, but extensive doubts surround its authenticity and origination from a prophetic 12th century vision. The evidence strongly suggests it was fabricated around 1590 then attributed to Malachy to gain credibility as insider electioneering. While the cryptic mottoes continue to fascinate as they line up with modern popes, most scholars advise caution in treating the text as a genuine prophecy. The prophecy’s vague and open-ended nature allows flexible interpretation fitting many scenarios. Ultimately, scholarly consensus holds the prophecy lacks authenticity as a medieval revelation, but rather most likely emerged as political propaganda in the late 16th century. Going forward, people will likely continue creatively matching the mottoes to modern popes. But the prophecy’s doubtful origins suggest restraint in putting much theological or prophetic weight on its contents about the fate of Rome and the papacy.