Who Will The Next Pope Be? (Not "who will be the next Pope")

Tanniker Smith

[Tanniker Smith]

This post is to bring a little levity into a time of mourning. Already there is talk about who will be the next pope. But here's a better question: who will the next pope be?

For the last thousand years or so, popes have chosen a new name upon their election by the College of Cardinals. There's no reason to suspect that this will not continue.

So make your guess as to who the next pope will be. Here are some of the possibilities:

• John Paul III
• Paul VII
• John XXIV
• Benedict XVI
• Leo XIV
• Gregory XVII
• Clement XV
• Innocent XIV
• Alexander IX
• Urban IX
• Sixtus VI (Now, that has some ring to it.8-) )
• Marcellus III
• Julius IV
• Adrian VII/Hadrian VII
• Piccolomini (Actually, that was Paul II, but I wanted to write it anyway.
• Calistus III
• Nicholas VI
• Felix V (Felix, the Pope, the wonderful, wonderful Pope... nah, I don't think so...)
• Eugene V
• Martin VI
• Boniface X
• Celestine VI
• . . . or some other choice. (I went back as far as the 13th century. I think that should be sufficient. Did you know that John XXII served in the 14th century and that there wasn't another John for 620+ years?)

And before someone else mentions it, the chance that John Paul will be followed by George Ringo is only slightly higher than seeing Peter II.

[Tanniker Smith]

I did find it interesting that the most common name, John, of whom there have been 23, would go unused for six centuries.

That said, I have to repeat that Sixtus VI has an odd sound to odd (at least in English).

TS

[Tanniker Smith]

He will be from a third world country....Mexico;Africa;India;Spain;S. or Central America;....Even the Middle East countries!!!

I've heard the same speculation (he'll be Nigerian, Latin American, European and/or old), but that's the topic for a different thread.

TS

[WinOne4TheGipper]

George W. I:)

[sittnick]

I have no idea, but if he chooses

Peter II,

Get ready for some crazy times!

[sittnick]

The reason there wasn't a John for so long is because of the "anti-pope" "John XXIII" who poisoned the name for so long. We have a priest in Montana who calls himself Piux XIII, but he probably doesn't have enough recognition to scar the name.

[Tanniker Smith]

Indeed. I did notice that and thought that was probably the case. Likewise, I had to fix the list at the beginning of the thread when I realized that Felix V was also an "anti-pope". I don't recall when Felix IV served.

The new pope could also make a statement by taking a name like Peace, Hope or Love -- the Latin translation, of course.

Still, I haven't made my guess, so I guess I'll go with Paul VII.
(But George Ringo is still up there)

TS

[watsonfellow]

If Francis Cardinal Arinze is elected, I assume he will take the name "Thomas Augustine"

Thomas in honor of St. Aquinas

Augustine in honor of St. Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo (in modern day Tunisia)

Both were doctors of the Church.

[Loyalist]

If an African: Gelasius III.

St. Gelasius I (492-496) was the last African-born Pope.

[OhioAttorney]

George Ringo I.

[Tanniker Smith]

Uhhh, yeah. Joke's been used.
8-)

TS

[tlRCta]

"This perversity "


That is where you ended. Does the text continue?

I had actually heard of that prophecy once before (of course on Freerepublic). Where did you get that text? It would be interesting to see what else it says. Any chance it might tie into the Dream of St. John Bosco?

[Dog Gone]

I emailed the Vatican with the suggestion of Pope Snagglepuss, and they wrote back saying that is right out.

[Tanniker Smith]

That's as good as the nicknames that my two kids decided to call each other: Snicklefritz and Schiezel. (SP?)

TS

[DBeers]

? ? ?

Pope James Paul I

Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid

Spaniard Antonio Rouco Varela, Born August 24, 1936 is 68 years old

[Oztrich Boy]

Joan II

[happygolucky]

Pope Salt Peter

[KarlInOhio]

Pope Impius I: He enters Rome as a Baptist ex-president and never leaves. (shudder).

Seriously, any names containing John or Paul are out because John Paul II's shoes are too big to fill. Pius is out because Pius XII was pope during WW II. My best guess would be Pope Gregory.

[CitizenM]

A little tidbit of Papal history: IIRC from my school classes it is not mandatory for a new pope to take another name. Hundreds of years ago this tradition started, but it is not actually required. I cannot remember who the pope was at the time, but the story I recall is that he was elected, but his actual name was a pagan name. It was felt that it was not suitable for a pope, hence they suggested he take another name more appropriate, after a saint or former pope. Thus began the tradition. So, who knows what the next pope might be called.

[Taomerline]

The next pope will be POPE BENEDICT XVI inorder to fulfill St. Malachy's prophecies as the last pope in reference to the Glory of the Olive. It is agreed that the olive relates to the Benedictine's group the Olivetans. I'm trying to find out which of the top contenders are Benedictine. They may not have to be, as long as they take this name. [NOTE: There were only 111 popes in the original prophecies. There are web site that are erroneously referring to a made up 112th name in the 1800s of a so-called Peter the Roman, etc.]