Posted on 04/29/2005 6:04:45 AM PDT by Libloather
Doomsayers Say Benedict Fits World End Prophecy
By Phil Stewart
Thu Apr 28, 9:17 AM ET
Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd during the general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 27, 2005. Benedict XVI held the first general audience of his new pontificate Wednesday, pledging to work for reconciliation and peace. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
ROME (Reuters) - Pope Benedict's ascent to the papacy took a conclave of 115 cardinals, four rounds of voting and followed a lifetime of service to the Vatican.
But ask Internet doomsayers eyeing a 12th century Catholic prophecy and they'll tell you it was all stitched up more than eight centuries ago and that judgment day is nigh.
The prophecy -- widely dismissed by scholars as a hoax -- is attributed to St. Malachy, an Irish archbishop recognized by members of the Church for his ability to read the future.
Benedict, believers say, fits the description of the second-to-last pope listed under the prophecy before the Last Judgement, when the bible says God separates the wicked from the righteous at the end of time.
"The Old Testament states: 'believe his prophets and you will prosper' -- so believe it. We are close to the return of the Judge of the nations. Christ is coming," wrote one Internet post by the Rev. Pat Reynolds.
"Thank God for the witness of St. Malachy."
St. Malachy was said to have had a vision during a trip to Rome around 1139 of the remaining 112 Popes. The new pope would be number 111 on that list, and is described in a text attributed to St. Malachy as the "Glory of the Olive."
To connect Benedict, a pale, bookish German, to anything olive takes some imagination. But Malachy-watchers point to the choice of the name Benedict -- an allusion to the Order of Saint Benedict, a branch of which is known as the Olivetans.
"When (he) chose the name Benedict XVI, this was seen as fulfilling the prophecy for this pope," wrote one entry on www.wikipedia.org.
Benedict said that he chose the name partly in honor of Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922), calling him a "courageous prophet of peace." On Wednesday, Benedict dedicated his papacy to "the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples."
"Perhaps Benedict XVI will be a peacemaker in the Church or in the world, and thus carry the olive branch," speculated www.catholic-pages.com.
Another site, www.bibleprobe.com, went even further, showing a picture of Benedict holding olive branches in March during Palm Sunday celebrations.
"Is this the Pope of Peace (olive)?" it asked in the caption.
Critics widely dismiss the Malachy prophecy as a forgery and possible propaganda meant to influence a 16th century conclave. Doses of skepticism even appear on the most energetic Malachy web pages.
But believers point out similarities between the prophecy's descriptions and past pontificates. Pope John Paul II, number 110, was described in the prophecy as "de labore solis" -- or "of the labor of the sun."
He was born on May 18, 1920, the same day as a solar eclipse. The pontiff was buried on April 8, 2005 -- the same day as a partial eclipse, visible in the Americas.
More pressing for doomsayers are the prophecy's references to the last Pope on the list, Peter the Roman, who will lead the Church before "the formidable judge will judge his people."
Since Benedict is already 78 years old, they say Peter the Roman must be coming soon, and with him, the end of the world.
"His reign will only last a few years at most. This signals that we are living in what may be the end of days as we know it," said one Web Site entry by someone calling himself SmartBob.
They said the same about JPII.
What's the other part- about two popes, or an anti-pope or something?
He says he wants peace. That's the "olive branch."
That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane -Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world serves its own needs, don't misserve your own needs. Feed it up a knock,
speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height, down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered
crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population, common group, but it'll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright
light, feeling pretty psyched.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
I heard something about that on a show with the Van Impes.
actually I guess it us more of just a doomsayers = Christians when it comes to Rooters
I doubt it. St. Malachy did not list him as the last in his series of popes. The last in the series - Peter the Roman - come after this one.
Most "scholars" referred to, are not people of faith. They don't believe anything until they see it. Personally, although not Catholic myself - there is something very eery about the correspondence between the attibutes of many of the Popes on Malachy's list and the Latin phrases he used.
St. Malachy repudely foretold the day of his death - accurattely. And he was Celtic and some of the Celts have "Second Sight".
The odds that the next Pope will call himself Peter II are slim.
What the hell is that jibberish?
So THOSE are the words to that song!
I certainly hope so. Otherwise I'm going to have to start paying off the student loans and back taxes.
I was listening to a Catholic priest on the radio some time ago, and he predicted that the new pope would either choose the name Pope Benedict XVI or Pope John Paul III, although his personal belief is that it would be Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Peter II, he explained, would probably never happen for the sake of humility. He was pressed on the issue and it became pretty clear that it's a longstanding tradition (an unwritten rule) that you wouldn't call yourself Pope Peter II.
It just seems people repeat the same warnings following the election of a new Pope in the hopes that one day they'll be right.
maybe it is just the end of the Catholic Church!!!!!!!!!!!1
I wouldn't think so. But then again, who expected the Soviet Union would completely collapse so abruptly (and without nukes)?
Leonard Bernstein!
That's the only part of the song (aside from the chorus) that most people know.
Anyhow....this must be an upbeat group to be around. I can hardly wait to see what kind of bizzare cult behavior forms out of this type of prophetic hype. An Applewhite a day takes the crazies away.
That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane -
Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn -
world serves its own needs, don't misserve your own needs. Feed it up a knock,
speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height,
down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for
hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the furies
breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered
crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population,
common group, but it'll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its
own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the
reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright
light, feeling pretty psyched.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign tower. Slash and burn,
return, listen to yourself churn. Lock him in uniform and book burning,
blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle,
light a motive. Step down, step down. Watch a heel crush, crush. Uh oh,
this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear! A tournament,
a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
and I decline.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mount St. Edelite.
Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic,
slam, but neck, right? Right.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine...
(It's time I had some time alone)
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