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ST. MALACHY (1094– 1148) Máel Máedóc, whose
surname was Ua Morgair, was born in Armagh in 1094, and St. Bernard
describes him as having noble birth. He was baptised Máel Máedóc,
which was rendered Malachus in Latin, and subsequently as Malachy in
English. He was trained under Imhar O'Hagan, subsequently Abbot of
Armagh. After a long course of studies Malachy was ordained priest
by St Cellach (Celsus) in 1119.
Shortly
afterwards St. Cellach appointed the young priest his vicar. For the
next year or two it was St. Malachy's duty to administer the diocese
of Armagh. He established in all the churches the apostolic
sanctions and the decrees of the holy fathers, and the customs and
practices of the Roman Church. He introduced the Roman method of
chanting the services of the canonical hours and instituted a new
Confession, Confirmation, the Marriage contract, which those over
whom he was placed were either ignorant or negligent. With the
consent of St. Cellach and Abbot Imar he went to study under St.
Malchus, who had by this time retired from the archbishopric of
Cashel and was settled at Lismore where he spent three years.
In
1123 the coarb of Bangor Abbey died. Bangor was the principal
religious site in the north-east of Ireland. His successor, who was
St. Malachy's uncle, surrendered his
office and the site of the monastery to his nephew. St. Malachy
thereby became Abbot of Bangor Abbey. In 1124 St. Malachy journeyed
to Bangor, was installed as abbot, and was made bishop by St.
Cellach.
In
1127, St. Malachy paid a second visit to Lismore and acted for a time
as confessor to Cormac MacCarthy, Prince of Desmond. While Bishop of
Down and Connor, St. Malachy continued to reside at Bangor, and when
some of the native princes sacked the two dioceses of Down and
Connor, he brought the Bangor monks to Iveragh, County Kerry, where
they were welcomed by King Cormac.
On
the death of St Celsus (who was buried at Lismore in 1129), St
Malachy was appointed Archbishop of Armagh in 1132, which dignity he
accepted with great reluctance. Owing to intrigues, he was unable to
take possession of his See for two years, then he had to purchase the
Bachal Isu (“Staff of Jesus” that is, St. Patrick's crozier) from
Niall, the usurping lay-primate.
Despite
all of this, St Bernard highly praised St. Malachy's zeal for
religion both in Connor and Armagh. During three years at Armagh, as
St. Bernard writes St Malachy restored the discipline of the Church,
grown lax during the intruded rule of a series of lay-abbots. He was
also known for his care to the needy as a miracle worker and healer.
Having
rooted out barbarism and re-established Christian morals, and seeing
all things had become peaceful, St Malachy resigned the Sees of
Armagh and Connor in 1136 or 1137, but retained his position as
Bishop of Down. He founded a priory of Austin Canons at Downpatrick,
and was unceasing in his episcopal labours. Early in 1139 he
journeyed to Rome, via Scotland, England, and France, visiting St
Bernard at Clairvaux, Champagne. He petitioned Pope Innocent II for
pallia for the Sees of Armagh and Cashel, and was appointed legate
for Ireland. On his return visit to Clairvaux he obtained five monks
for a foundation in Ireland, under Christian, an Irishman, as
superior. Thus the great Abbey of Mellifont was established in 1142.
St Malachy set out on a second journey to Rome in 1148, but on
arriving at Clairvaux, he fell sick and died in the arms of St
Bernard, on November 2, 1148.
THE
ALLEGED PROPHECIES OF ST. MALACHY
While
at Rome, he received (at least according to the Abbé Cucherat) a vision of
the future in which a long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to
rule the Church until the end of time. The same author says that St.
Malachy presented his manuscript to Innocent II to console him in the
midst of his tribulations, and that the document remained unknown in
the Roman Archives until its discovery in 1590 (Cucherat, "Proph.
de la succession des papes", ch. xv).
They
were first published by Arnold de Wyon, (or, is the first earliest known publication of them), and ever since there has been
considerable debate as to whether they are genuine predictions of St.
Malachy or forgeries. The silence of 400 years on the part of so many
authors who had written about the popes, and the silence of St.
Bernard especially, who wrote the "Life of St. Malachy" but never mentioned anything of these prophecies, is
strong evidence supporting the argument among certain academics that they are
forgeries, but it is not conclusive if we consider Cucherat's
theory might be true: that they were truly hidden or lost in the Archives during those 400
years. It's not impossible - the original secrets of La Salette were buried in the Vatican archive only discovered and published in 1999 / 2000. St. Louis de Monfort predicted his book 'True Devotion to Mary' would lay forgotten in a chest for 100 years before it would be discovered, which came to pass. The date might be a bit long for the attributed St. Malachy prophecies - but - still withing the realm of possibility.
Also,
they still have proven to be remarkably 'on point' in a considerable number of
instances beyond the supposed forgery date of 1590, which gives them some credibility, even if not by him. So, I am marking this with a double (??) to read the with discernment.
If St.
Malachy did write these prophecies, it is said he concealed his vision, using simple, one line Latin phrases that
co-incide with either the coat of arms, the pontifical name, the
place of origin, or previous diocesan /archdiocesan See of the
elected pontiff. Sometimes the nature of a papacy is indicated.
The
majority of the past prophecies only made sense after each pontiff
was elected, thereby showing it was not necessarily the pope that was
of particular importance in each vision, but that as each prophecy
showed considerable accuracy, the last prophecies would become a
warning to future ages indicating when the line of popes was running
out.
Of
interest, the prophecies also included anti-popes as well as legitimate
successors in the list, possibly to preclude anyone trying to
concentrate on guessing who was a legitimate successor or not and to
have future generations pay attention to how many lines of the
prophecy were left no matter who was on the Papal throne, the
prophecies becoming the proverbial sand in the hour-glass regarding the approach of the latter times, or close to thereabouts as nobody knows the day or hour of the actual Last Day.
The prophecies list over 112 popes, and while it is commonly believed the last line
of the prophecy indicates the exact End of Time and the exact last
pope, that is not quite so - the last line references a punishment
that will fall on Rome during a persecution and a terrible judgment
on the people, but is not literally indicating the Day of Judgment
per se.
Instead,
this could be a warning when the great chastisement of Rome will
happen just before the coming of the Great Monarch and the Angelic
Pontiff as other prophecies foretell, so the prophecies leave room regarding when the End of Time truly happens. It is
possible the final pope was not listed at all considering the rest
of the prophecies given by other saints and mystics, etc.
Technically, the prophecies still warn of the end times as
the Antichrist will come right after the Great Monarch.
According
to the series, Pope Francis is the last person on
the seat of Peter before the full chastisement falls on Rome.
As
the list is extensive, the list will begin here with Line 101 - Bl.
Pius IX
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101
- Crux de cruce - “Cross from a Cross” - BL. PIUS IX (1846-1878)
St.
Pius IX had the misfortune to see the Papal States reduced to the
Vatican area, and was the first 'Prisoner of the Vatican' Pope. It
is obvious this prophecy refers to his papacy.
“The
loss of his temporal power was only one of the many trials that
filled the long pontificate of Pius IX. There was scarcely a country
where the rights of the Church were not infringed upon. In many
countries church property was confiscated, religious orders were
expelled and bishops imprisoned or banished. The height of these
disturbances was reached during the Kulturkampf inaugurated in 1873.
(…) Although a reference to a cross reoccurs frequently in the
prophecies, there is little doubt that Pius IX had to bear the
heaviest cross yet to be inflicted on the Papacy. The temporal
powers of the Church had been drastically curtailed and the influence
of the spiritual leader of the Catholic world reduced. There is no
doubt that the House of Savoy, whose emblem is a cross, added greatly
to the afflictions of this pope.” (Commentary by Peter Bander, The
Prophecies of St. Malachy, Tan publishers, 1973)
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102
– Lumen in coelo – “A Light in the Sky” - LEO XIII
(1878-1903)
Leo
XIII is the pope who had the famous vision of Satan attacking the
Church after which he was promised 100 years of freedom on earth to
do his worst. In response, Pope Leo XIII composed the Minor Rite of
exorcism, and the famous prayer to St. Michael in addition to the
additional prayers to be said at the end of Mass to protect the
Church. In this sense, he was a blazing light preparing the Church
for what was to come. However, the prophecy strongly alludes to his
coat of arms which shows a blazing star. Although St. Malachy used
the direct term 'sydus in coelo' while referring to a blazing star
seen on Innocent VII's coat of arms, and it is curious he did not use
the word 'sydus' again with Pope Leo XIII – nevertheless, it is
still a good reference to his coat of arms, and also serves as a
symbol of his effort to protect the Church as it is apparent he had
received enlightenment from Above on the spiritual steps that needed
to be taken. Sadly, the prayers of protection he composed for the
end of Mass are no longer said after the New Mass – which
Marie-Julie Jahenny predicted would happen, several years before he
had his vision and composed the prayers.
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103
– Ignis Ardens - “The Burning Fire” - ST. PIUS X (1903-1914)
Zealous
in his efforts to stamp out the errors of Liberalism and Modernism in
the Church, the prophecy alludes to his apostolic fervor.
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104
– Religio Depopulata - “Religion Laid Waste” (Could also
literally mean 'Religion Depopulated') - BENEDICT XV
Pope
Benedict XV reigned in a turbulent period that was overshadowed by
the death of millions of Christians in WWI, and in 1917 he saw the
beginning of the Russian Revolution that spread the anti-religious
ideals of Socialist Communism, bringing to a demonic halt the
religious life of Russia and elsewhere that upheld the Communist
ideal.
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105
– Fides Intrepida - “Unshaken Faith” (or 'Intrepid Faith') –
PIUS XI (1922-1939)
Pius
XI “... faced the rise of Fascism and Communism in the Western
world. (…) Recent publications of Vatican documents show the
tremendous pressure which was put on this pope by the dictators of
Italy and Germany. Again one could say that it was the pope's 'Fide
Intrepida' – his unshaken faith – in what he believed to be right
which may have prevented even greater hardship than that which befell
the Catholic Church during his reign. His courage at which Hitler
sneered and raged and before which Mussolini crumbled, his outspoken
criticism of Fascism and Communism which upset the ruthless plans of
the dictators, and his unshaken faith, all sustained the Church in a
period of the most severe trials. Malachy's description appears to
be a most fitting one for Pope Pius XI.” (Peter Bander, The
Prophecies of St. Malachy).
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106
– Pastor Angelicus - “Angelic Pastor” - VEN. PIUS XII
(1939-1958)
“...
Recent publications, particularly that by Pinchas Lapide (The Last
of the Three Popes and the Jews, Souvenir Press, 1967) and the
publication of the Vatican documents relating to the reign of Pius
XII, have given the world unshakable and irrefutable proof of this
Pope's greatness and spirituality. He was in the truest sense of the
word an Angelic Pastor to the flock committed to his care, and his
flock were all those who suffered. In spite of the defamatory and
scurrilous allegations published about him (…) Pius XII has
emerged as one of the great popes of all time. Although the contents
of his visions have not yet become public knowledge (which may change
soon as Pope Francis has ordered the archives to be opened, EAB),
there is little doubt that his affinity to the spiritual world was a
very real and close one. The Description 'Pastor Angelicus' is most
apt and one of the most descriptive ones in Malachy's prophecies.”
(Peter Bander, The Prophecies of St. Malachy).
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107
– Pastor Et Nauta – “Pastor and Mariner – ST. JOHN XXIII
(1958-1963)
As
a bishop and pope he was a pastor, and the prophecy referring to him
as a 'sailor' points to the time he was Patriarch of Venice, situated
on the sea itself.
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108
- Flors Florum - “Flower of Flowers” - ST PAUL VI (1963-1978)
The
prophecy refers to his papal coat of arms bearing three
fleurs-de-lis.
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109
– De Medietate Lunae - “Of the Half Moon” - JOHN PAUL I (1978
– only 33 days)
He
was elected Aug. 26, 1978 when the moon was half
full in accordance with St. Malachy's description. He was born
in Forno di Canale (now known as Canale d'Agordo) in the province and
diocese of Belluno meaning 'Beautiful Moon' when the moon was
waxing,and was elected Pontiff when the moon was waning. He died
soon after an eclipse of the moon.
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110
- De Labore Solis - “Of the toil of the sun” or “Of the eclipse
of the sun” - ST. POPE JOHN PAUL II (1978 -2005)
St.
Pope John Paul II was both born on the day of an eclipse of the sun,
and buried the day the sun was eclipsed.
One
of the strangest predictions concerned the pope who would
follow 'De Medietate Lunae'. He is designated as 'De Labore Solis',
or 'from the toil of the sun'. Applied to St. John Paul II, this
phrase possibly reveals a double prophecy. The first non-Italian
elected in 456 years, was a native of Krakow, Poland. Krakow is the
city where, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Copernicus 'toiled'; for
years to prove his theory that the earth revolved around the sun.
Many of the prophecy interpreters also suggested that the 'sun'
reference indicated a young pope. Fifty-eight years old at the time
of his election, St. John Paul II was the youngest pope in over a
century.
Let's not forget this pope is famous for his Marian devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, Fatima is where the Miracle of the Sun was witnessed by over 70,000 people.
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111 –
Gloria Olivae - “The Glory of the Olive” - BENEDICT XVI
(2005-2013)
Pope Benedict
XVI was not a Benedictine priest, yet he chose the name Benedict, the
founder of the Order of Saint Benedict, a branch of which also is
known as the Olivetans.
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LAST LISTED
POPE (Not necessarily the last Pope of the Church):
112 –
Petrus Romanus - “Peter of Rome” or “The Rock of Rome” -
FRANCIS (2013...)
This prophecy
is cryptic – it is thought to refer to his name 'Francis' after St.
Francis, who was shown in a dream to Innocent III holding up the
crumbling church on his shoulder like a corner stone, but it appears
instead of being a supporting rock, Pope Francis is doing as the rest
of the prophecy foretells:
“In
p[er]secutione. extrema S.R.E. sedebit. PETRUS ROMANIS qui paſcet
oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus tranſactis ciuitas
ſepticollis diruetur, & Iudex tremẽdus iudicabit populum ſuum”
“In
the extreme (or final) persecution of the Holy Roman Church he
will sit (reign). PETRUS ROMAUS, who will pasture his sheep in many
tribulations. After which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed
and the dreadful Judge will judge His people.”
Instead
of becoming a supporting block like St. Francis, history may show him
to be an Anti-Francis, feeding his flock 'into' tribulations like a
dreaded stumbling block to the Church of Rome.
Notice
the manner of translating the Our Father into the old English
expression of 'lead us not into temptation', a literal translation of
the Latin 'in tentationem' and compare that with “in multis
tribulationibus” of the prophecy. It could read in the old English
manner like the Our Father, “who will pasture his sheep into
many tribulations”. Interesting how Pope Francis has recently
opened the debate on whether the old translation of the Our Father
should be changed.
Considering
the doctrinal controversies surrounding Pope Francis' papacy at the
moment, if 'rock of Rome' actually means a stumbling block, this seems quite
apt. However, as with all his prophecies, only time will tell. However, it is rather telling that St. Francis of Assisi predicted that near the end times, an anti-pope will be put on the throne of Peter who will do much damage to the Church, click here for his prophecy.
As mentioned
above, the last of these prophecies does not mean we are at
the last pope or the end of time yet, but more likely indicates we
are close to the foretold punishment of Rome that will occur before
the appearance of the Great Monarch and Angelic Pontiff.
