900-Year-Old Prophecy Resurfaces Following Pope Francis’ Death, Its Message Released

• Shortly after Pope has been confirmed dead by the Vatican, a 900-year-old prophecy that claims Judgement Day will occur in 2027 and that he may be the last pope
• The ancient text, discovered in the Vatican’s archives, allegedly predicts a series of popes, ending with the destruction of Rome and divine judgement
• While some speculate on its relevance, scholars dismiss the prophecy as a forgery, citing biblical warnings against predicting the Second Coming

Following confirmation from the Vatican that Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, new interest has reignited in a 900-year-old book, “The Prophecy of the Popes”, which allegedly predicts that Judgement Day will occur in 2027 and that Pope Francis may be the last leader of the Catholic Church.

The text, attributed to Irish bishop Saint Malachy, was reportedly discovered in 1590 by Benedictine monk Arnold Wion and is preserved in the Vatican’s Secret Archives.

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According to EuroNews, the book contains 112 Latin phrases, each believed to correspond to the reigns of different Catholic popes, beginning with Celestine II.

One passage, tied to Pope Sixtus V, reads: “Axle in the midst of a sign.” Scholars believe this refers to his tenure occurring 442 years after the first pope’s reign, suggesting the world could end another 442 years later—in 2027.

Pope Francis’ health and the last prophecy

Before his death, Pope Francis had been hospitalised for a month, receiving treatment for double pneumonia. His deteriorating health has led some to speculate on the prophecy’s final passage, which states:

"In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

The “seven-hilled city” is widely believed to refer to Rome, leading some to theorise that Francis’ successor—potentially Peter the Roman—will preside over the Church before its destruction.

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Scholarly skepticism and biblical warnings

Despite its intrigue, modern scholars dispute the book’s authenticity, arguing it was likely a cryptic forgery crafted for political gain.

The text has also appeared in popular fiction, including Steve Berry’s 2005 novel The Third Secret and James Rollins’ 2009 novel The Doomsday Key.

Additionally, biblical teachings warn against predicting the Second Coming of Christ. Matthew 24:36 states:

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

As such, experts caution against taking the prophecy literally, reminding believers that Judgement Day’s timing remains unknown.

Thomist scholar dismisses Prophecy of the Popes as forgery

Don Parker, a Thomist scholar and historian, has weighed in on the resurfaced 900-year-old Prophecy of the Popes, following the renewed public speculations about Pope Francis’ successor and the end times.

“For St. Malachy, the Archbishop of Armagh, I believe that the 'Prophecy of the Popes' is a forgery attributed to him in order to give the document greater credibility than it truly deserves,” Parker told Legit.ng.

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The US-based theologian emphasised the importance of relying on Scripture rather than sensational predictions:

“I nevertheless maintain that as Christ Himself says: 'Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass. But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone' (Matt 24:35-36).”

“St. Malachy, whether he is the author of the prophecy or not, is not more knowledgeable than Jesus Christ the Lord.”

“We simply cannot know when the hour of judgment will be at hand, although it will always be entertaining to speculate,” he concluded.

Pope Francis becomes first Pontiff to release book

Legit.ng earlier reported that Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, has become the first Pope since the 15th century to publish an autobiography while serving as the head of the Catholic Church.

Released in January, ‘Hope: The Autobiography’ was originally intended to be published posthumously, but the Pope chose to share it during his lifetime.

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According to BBC, just weeks after the release of his book, Pope Francis was admitted to Rome Gemelli Hospital due to a respiratory infection that led to further health complications.

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a US-based Thomist scholar and historian for this report.

Source: Legit.ng