The last chapter of humanity?

      On Monday, April 21, Pope Francis died at his residence. The Vatican confirmed the death of the pontiff. He was 88 years old. The day before his death, Pope Francis addressed the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Pontiff delivered the message to thousands of Catholics who gathered in St. Peter's Square for Easter Mass. And on the morning of April 21, it became known about the death of the Pope.

      The Prophecy of the Popes

      The authorship of the "Prophecy of the Popes" belongs to the medieval Saint Malachi, who, according to legend, wrote down his visions of future Popes in Latin. The Prophecy contains information about 112 Popes who will continue to lead the Roman Catholic Church. After the death of the last one, 112, as Malachi claimed, the Second Coming of Christ, the Last Judgment and the end of the world are coming. Pope Francis was the 112th of the Popes described by Malachi. In total, the Roman Catholic Church was headed by 226 pontiffs, including Francis.

      In his prophecy, Malachi gave a brief description of each of the 112 Popes. All descriptions of the pontiffs coincided with historical events and those who headed the Russian Orthodox Church. According to 360 TV Channel, the "Prophecy of Popes" contains the following descriptions of pontiffs:

      Ex castro Tiberis ("From the castle on the Tiber") refers to Celestine II, who was born in a castle on the Tiber River.

      Inimicus expulsus ("The Exiled Enemy") — Innocent II was elected pope as a result of the schism, during which his rival, Anacletus II, was expelled.

      Ensis Laurentii ("Lorenzo's Sword") — it is possible to draw a parallel with Gregory VIII, who gained fame because of his desire to organize the Third Crusade, which can be associated with the image of the sword.

      Lilium et rosa ("Lily and rose") — Pope Urban VIII came from the Barberini family, whose coat of arms depicted bees, but was also associated with Florence (symbol — lily) and France (symbol — lily and rose).

      Aquila rapax ("Predatory Eagle") — interpreted as the reign of Pius VII during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon, who was often associated with the eagle, captured Rome and imprisoned the pope.

      Ignis ardens ("Flaming Fire") — Pius X, known for his zealous struggle for reform in the Church and against modernism, can be associated with the image of fire.

      De medietate lunae ("About the half moon") — interpreted as a reference to John Paul I, whose reign lasted about a month (lunar month).

      De labore solis ("About the work of the sun") — John Paul II was born during a solar eclipse, during the same phenomenon he was buried.

      Gloria olivae ("Glory of the Olive Tree") — Benedict XVI was a member of the Benedictine Order, whose symbol is the olive branch.

      Is it a medieval fake or an accidental find?

      It should be noted that many consider Malachi's prophecy to be a fake and a "duck" launched 500 years after the saint's death. The prophecy was first published at the end of the 16th century (1595) and has been controversial among historians and theologians for centuries.

      The prophecy was published in a book by the Belgian monk Arnold de Villon. He said that he had allegedly found the manuscript of Saint Malachi in a monastery, where it had come from Rome. The official position of the Catholic Church regarding this prophecy remains neutral. Let's add that it speaks quite accurately about the Popes who lived and led the Roman Catholic Church before 1590. After this date, many discrepancies are found in the manuscript of St. Malachi.

      As for Pope Francis, the prophecy says the following about him: "During the last persecutions of the Holy Roman Church, Peter the Roman will sit, who will shepherd the sheep in the midst of many torments: after which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the terrible Judge will judge his people."

      It should be noted that the accession of Francis to the papal throne in 2013, indeed, coincided with difficult times for the Roman Catholic Church: scandals, financial problems, a rapid decline in the number of believers, internal schisms of the Church. All this can well be considered a "multitude of torments," and Pope Francis' reformatory actions are an attempt to "graze sheep" in the midst of these torments.

      As for the name "Peter", which Saint Malachi used to mean the last Pope before the coming end of the world, according to some experts interpreting the prophecy, "Peter the Roman" symbolizes Pope Francis, since he chose his papal name, Francis — Jorge Mario Bergoglio, as the deceased Pope was called in the world, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose full name was Giovanni Francesco di Pietro Bernardone.