In the wake of Pope Francis’s death on April 21, 2025, an ancient prophecy has resurfaced from the shadows of Vatican archives, captivating believers and skeptics alike with its chilling prediction: the next pope may be the last before the end of the world. This 900-year-old manuscript, known as the “Prophecy of the Popes,” has predicted with eerie accuracy the succession of Catholic pontiffs for centuries. Now, as cardinals gather to select Francis’s successor, many are asking: Are we witnessing the fulfillment of a prophecy that ends with the destruction of Rome and the final judgment in 2027?
THE MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS OF THE PROPHECY
The story begins in medieval Ireland with a holy man named Malachy O’Morgair. Born in Armagh in 1094, Malachy rose to become the Archbishop of Armagh and a respected church reformer. According to tradition, in 1139, Malachy was summoned to Rome by Pope Innocent II. During this journey, he allegedly experienced a remarkable vision – a divine revelation showing him the succession of popes from his time until the end of the world.
What makes this prophecy particularly compelling is its format: 112 short, cryptic Latin phrases, each supposedly describing a future pope. Malachy reportedly recorded these visions and presented the manuscript to Pope Innocent II, after which it was deposited in the Vatican Archives and forgotten for over four centuries.
The prophecy remained unknown to the public until 1595, when Benedictine monk Arnold Wion published it in his book Lignum Vitae, a history of the Benedictine order. Wion attributed the prophecy to Saint Malachy and included interpretations of the cryptic phrases, applying them to historical popes up to Urban VII, who had died in 1590.
Here’s where the story takes its first controversial turn. The historical record shows no mention of this prophecy by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Malachy’s contemporary biographer who meticulously documented the saint’s miracles and achievements. In fact, no historical evidence of the prophecy exists before 1590, more than 400 years after Malachy’s death in 1148.
This gap has led many historians to conclude that the prophecy is a 16th-century forgery, likely created around 1590. Spanish monk Benito
Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro ( Heh-ROH-nee-mo Fay-HOH ee Mon-teh-NAY-gro) noted in his Teatro Crítico Universal (1724–1739) that the prophecy’s descriptions of popes before 1590 are remarkably accurate, while those after publication become vague and often require creative interpretation to match historical figures.
The verses and explanations given by Wion correspond closely to a 1557 history of the popes by Onofrio Panvinio, even replicating errors from that text. This suggests the prophecy may have been written using Panvinio’s history as a source rather than divine inspiration.
One theory about the prophecy’s creation, put forward by 17th-century French priest Louis Moréri (Moh-ray-REE), suggests it was spread by supporters of Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli (Jee-ROH-lah-moh See-mohn-CHEL-lee) to boost his chances in the 1590 papal conclave. In the prophecy, the pope following Urban VII is described as “Ex antiquitate Urbis” (“from the old city”), and Simoncelli was from Orvieto, which in Latin is Urbevetanum, meaning “old city.” However, the discovery of a reference to the prophecy in a 1587 letter has cast doubt on this theory, suggesting it existed before the 1590 conclave.
DECODING THE CRYPTIC PHRASES
The prophecy consists of 112 short Latin phrases or “mottos” that allegedly describe each pope from Celestine II (elected in 1143) onward. For pre-publication popes (those before 1595), the mottos show remarkable correspondence with the popes’ birthplaces, family names, personal coats of arms, and pre-papal titles.
For example, the first motto, Ex castro Tiberis (from a castle on the Tiber), perfectly matches Celestine II’s birthplace in Città di Castello, on the Tiber river. Similarly, the motto for Pope Nicholas III (1277-1280) was Rosa Composita (composed rose), and his family coat of arms featured a rose.
After publication in 1595, however, the connections become more tenuous and often require creative interpretation. Nevertheless, believers point to several “hits” that seem too precise to be coincidental:
“Light in the sky” for Leo XIII (1878–1903), who had a comet in his coat of arms
“Religion depopulated” for Benedict XV (1914–22), whose papacy coincided with World War I and the Russian Revolution
“Flower of flowers” for Paul VI (1963–78), who had fleur-de-lys in his coat of arms
Peter Bander, Head of Religious Education at Wall Hall teacher training college, wrote in 1969 that despite scholarly skepticism, the prophecies remained popular among ordinary people, making them “as relevant to the second half of the twentieth century as they have ever been.”
Not all Catholic scholars have been so charitable. M. J. O’Brien, a Catholic priest who authored an 1880 monograph on the prophecy, dismissed it entirely: “These prophecies have served no purpose. They are absolutely meaningless. The Latin is bad. It is impossible to attribute such absurd triflings… to any holy source.”
THE FINAL POPE AND THE END OF DAYS
What has brought the prophecy back into the spotlight is its chilling conclusion. The final motto, describing the last pope, is longer and more detailed than all the others:
“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.”
This translates to: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit [as bishop] Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End.”
If the list of descriptions is matched on a one-to-one basis to historic popes since publication, Benedict XVI (2005–13) would correspond to the second-to-last pope, described as Gloria olivae (the glory of the olive). Some interpreters note the prophecy leaves open the possibility of unlisted popes between “the glory of the olive” and the final pope, “Peter the Roman.”
When Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 – the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years – and was succeeded by Pope Francis, speculation ran rampant. Was Francis the prophesied “Peter the Roman”? Though his papal name honors Francis of Assisi, some noted that Francis’s father’s name was Pietro (Peter), and his family had Italian origins, potentially connecting him to Rome.
With Francis’s death on April 21, 2025, attention has now shifted to his successor. According to Reuters, among the nine front-runners to succeed Francis, three are named Peter, which some see as an uncanny fulfillment of the prophecy.
THE 2027 DOOMSDAY CONNECTION
Perhaps the most startling aspect of the current fascination with the prophecy is the specific date that keeps emerging: 2027. According to a March 2025 Euronews article, some interpreters believe that Judgment Day will occur in 2027, based on a passage attributed to Pope Sixtus V that reads “Axle in the midst of a sign.”
Proponents of this theory claim Pope Sixtus V’s tenure began 442 years after the first Pope’s rule, placing him in the “middle” of papal lineage. They conclude that the end of the world would come 442 years after Sixtus V, which would be 2027.
This theory gained renewed attention following Pope Francis’s illness in early 2025 and his subsequent death in April 2025. The timing seems almost too perfect for believers – a new pope will be selected in 2025, potentially fulfilling the “Peter the Roman” prophecy, with just two years remaining until the prophesied end in 2027.
Adding another layer to this apocalyptic timeline, a viral TikTok video from July 2024 claimed that Pope John XXIII once stated that “the end of the world would happen 2,000 years plus Christ’s life.” Calculating Christ’s life as approximately 27 years, this would also point to 2027 as the year of judgment.
THE NOSTRADAMUS CONNECTION
The Prophecy of the Popes doesn’t stand alone in predicting a final pontiff named Peter. According to an April 2025 New York Post article, Michel de Nostredame – the famous 16th-century French astrologer and soothsayer known as Nostradamus – is also said to have predicted that “Peter the Roman” will take over as pope.
This connection between two separate prophetic traditions has strengthened belief in the “Peter the Roman” theory. The timing of the Prophecy of the Popes’ discovery (1590) coincides with the period when Nostradamus’s predictions were gaining popularity, leading some to see them as complementary prophecies from different sources pointing to the same apocalyptic conclusion.
Nostradamus is renowned for his book Les Prophéties, published in 1555, which contains 942 poetic quatrains allegedly predicting future events. While his prophecies are notoriously vague and open to interpretation, believers have retroactively connected many of them to major historical events, from the Great Fire of London to the rise of Hitler and the 9/11 attacks.
The convergence of Nostradamus’s predictions with the Prophecy of the Popes regarding a final pontiff named Peter has created a perfect storm of apocalyptic speculation in the wake of Francis’s death.
THE VATICAN’S SECRET KNOWLEDGE
Multiple articles from 2025 refer to the prophecy being “plucked from secret Vatican archives,” suggesting a cover-up or hidden knowledge. Conspiracy theorists claim the Vatican has known about the prophecy and its implications for centuries but has kept it hidden from the general public.
The March 2025 Euronews article states the prophecy is “Located in the Vatican’s Secret Archives and discovered in 1590 by Benedictine monk Arnold Wion.” This narrative feeds into broader conspiracy theories about the Vatican possessing secret knowledge about the end times.
The Vatican Secret Archives, officially renamed the Vatican Apostolic Archive in 2019, houses the Catholic Church’s historical documents, state papers, correspondence, and other records accumulated over centuries. Access to these archives has historically been restricted, fueling speculation about what secrets they might contain.
While scholars have been granted increased access to the archives in recent decades, certain sections remain off-limits, and the sheer volume of material – estimated at over 53 miles of shelving – means that many documents remain unexplored. This combination of secrecy and vast unknown content creates fertile ground for conspiracy theories.
Some theorists suggest that high-ranking Vatican officials are aware of the prophecy’s authenticity and are preparing for the end times, either by attempting to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy or by ensuring that the right “Peter” is selected as the next pope to guide the faithful through the coming tribulation.
THE PAPAL CONCLAVE CONSPIRACY
With the upcoming papal conclave to select Francis’s successor, conspiracy theories have emerged about the selection process being influenced by knowledge of the prophecy. Some theorists suggest that cardinals who believe in the prophecy might deliberately vote for or against candidates named Peter.
The New York Post details the conclave process: “Four daily ballots will be held until a successor is picked. After 30 ballots, the top two candidates will be the only ones allowed; whoever gets a two-thirds majority will become the next pontiff.”
This secretive process, conducted behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel, adds to the mystique surrounding papal selection. Cardinals are sequestered from the outside world, and voting is conducted in strict secrecy, with ballots burned after each round – black smoke indicating no decision, white smoke announcing a new pope.
The combination of ancient tradition, secrecy, and the high stakes of potentially selecting the final pope before the end of the world creates a perfect environment for conspiracy theories to flourish.
DEFENDING THE PROPHECY AGAINST SKEPTICISM
When confronted with biblical passages that contradict the idea of predicting Judgment Day, such as Matthew 24:36 (“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”), believers have developed counterarguments.
Some claim that while the exact “day and hour” cannot be known, the approximate year (2027) can be discerned through prophecy. Others suggest that the prophecy doesn’t predict the exact date but warns of the signs that will precede the end times.
Believers also have explanations for the prophecy’s uneven accuracy. While many scholars point to the stark contrast between the precise descriptions of pre-1590 popes and the vague descriptions afterward as evidence of forgery, believers see it differently. They argue that the author had clearer visions of the near future than the distant future, a common pattern in prophetic literature.
The New York Post notes: “The descriptions of the popes are very specific until the year 1590 — conveniently, the year when it was discovered and just several decades after Nostradamus made his claims. From then on, the phrasing becomes much vaguer and open to interpretation.”
Rather than seeing this as evidence against the prophecy’s authenticity, believers interpret it as evidence of genuine prophetic ability that became less precise for events further in the future.
THE PROPHECY IN POPULAR CULTURE
The Prophecy of the Popes has permeated popular culture, appearing in novels, films, and television shows. The Euronews article notes that it “has appeared in popular fiction, including Steve Berry’s 2005 novel ‘The Third Secret’ and in James Rollins’ 2009 novel ‘The Doomsday Key’.”
Thomas Horn’s book “Petrus Romanus” explores the prophecies of the final pope and end times in detail, connecting them to broader apocalyptic traditions. “The Last Pope?” is a documentary film that examines the prophecy and its potential implications.
This cultural presence has helped spread awareness of the prophecy beyond religious circles, making it part of the broader apocalyptic imagination that includes Nostradamus’s predictions, Mayan calendar theories, and biblical end-times scenarios.
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF APOCALYPTIC PROPHECY
The Prophecy of the Popes exists within a rich tradition of apocalyptic literature that spans cultures and centuries. From the Book of Revelation in the Bible to the Norse Ragnarök, human civilizations have long been fascinated with narratives about the end of the world.
In the Christian tradition, apocalyptic prophecy often emerges during times of social upheaval, political instability, or religious persecution. The Book of Revelation, for instance, was written during a period of Roman persecution of Christians. Similarly, the late 16th century, when the Prophecy of the Popes was first published, was a time of religious warfare and profound change in Europe following the Protestant Reformation.
Today, we face our own set of existential threats – climate change, nuclear proliferation, pandemic disease, artificial intelligence risks – that make apocalyptic narratives resonate with contemporary anxieties. The Prophecy of the Popes, with its vision of a final pontiff presiding over the destruction of Rome and the last judgment, speaks to these fears.
THE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE
From a scientific and historical perspective, the evidence strongly suggests that the Prophecy of the Popes is a 16th-century creation rather than a 12th-century divine revelation. The absence of any mention of the prophecy before 1590, the close correspondence with Panvinio’s 1557 history of the popes, and the stark contrast in accuracy between pre- and post-publication predictions all point to human authorship around the time of its discovery.
The Catholic Church itself has no official stance on the prophecy, though many Catholic theologians have dismissed it as a forgery. The Church generally approaches private revelations and prophecies with caution, emphasizing that they are not essential to faith and must be evaluated critically.
Modern scholars of religious history typically view such prophecies as cultural artifacts that reflect the concerns and worldview of their time rather than genuine predictions of the future. The human tendency to find patterns and meaning, combined with confirmation bias and selective interpretation, can make vague prophecies seem more accurate than they actually are.
THE CURRENT PAPAL TRANSITION
As the College of Cardinals prepares to select Pope Francis’s successor, the world watches with heightened interest. The conclave must begin within 20 days of the pope’s death and will continue until a new pontiff is chosen by a two-thirds majority.
Among the leading candidates are several cardinals named Peter, including Peter Turkson from Ghana, Pietro Parolin from Italy, and Pedro Barreto from Peru. Their presence among the frontrunners has not gone unnoticed by those following the prophecy.
Whether by coincidence or divine design, the selection of a pope named Peter would add fuel to the apocalyptic speculation fire surrounding the Prophecy of the Popes. If such a pope were to take the name Peter II (there has never been a Pope Peter II, as no pope has taken the name out of respect for Saint Peter), the parallels to “Peter the Roman” would be unmistakable.
PROPHECY IN AN AGE OF UNCERTAINTY
As we stand at this crossroads of history, with a papal transition underway and the prophesied date of 2027 approaching, the Prophecy of the Popes continues to captivate our imagination. Whether viewed as divine revelation or human invention, it speaks to our enduring fascination with the future and our desire to find meaning and pattern in the chaos of history.
For believers, the prophecy offers a framework for understanding current events within a grand cosmic narrative. For skeptics, it provides a case study in how prophecies work psychologically and culturally, how they evolve over time, and how they respond to changing circumstances.
What cannot be denied is the prophecy’s remarkable resilience. More than 400 years after its publication, it continues to generate discussion, speculation, and wonder. As the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to select the next pope, millions around the world will be watching not just for the color of the smoke but for signs of prophecy fulfilled.
Whether the next pope will indeed be the final pontiff before the end of the world remains to be seen. But in an age of uncertainty, where traditional institutions face unprecedented challenges and existential threats loom on the horizon, the ancient vision of Malachy – or whoever actually penned those cryptic Latin phrases – continues to offer both warning and hope: that history has a pattern, that our present troubles have meaning, and that whatever end awaits us, it is part of a larger plan.
As we await the white smoke that will announce a new pope, we might reflect on the words attributed to Saint Malachy nearly a millennium ago, words that still echo with power and mystery: “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, Peter the Roman will sit, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge his people. The End.