As most focus on the Mayan calendar and the many prophecies of other cultures and religions which signal the arrival of “Doomsday” on December 21, 2012, few seem to be aware of the prophecies of an obscure 12th century Irish saint and mystic named Malachy.
Yet, could Malachy’s prophecies also be significant to the “Doomsday” date?
Maybe so.
This story begins in 1139, while on a visit to Rome, when St. Malachy reportedly had a vision seeing the succession of the 112 popes who’d follow Pope Celestine II until the end of time. Although the prophecies are cryptic and esoteric to some, many historians believe they’ve proved remarkably accurate in describing each successive pope.
Now, after many centuries, the sobering truth is that we’re down to the last popes in the prophecy. The current pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI is the 111th pope, and the next will be The Final Pope in Malachy’s prophecy — the 112th pope. According to Malachy, he’ll be the pope who reigns when Jesus returns to judge mankind.
So, what exactly does the last prophecy say about the 112th pope? It says: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus (Peter the Roman), who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the formidable (also translated, “dreaded” or “dreadful”) Judge will judge the people. The End.”
Now, as the world focuses on dozens of other prophecies concerning the coming “Doomsday” date, author, Jack Spring, has written a new novel, “The Rapture of Darkness,” suggesting that everyone’s looking the wrong way and missing the obvious. As well, he suggests we shouldn’t be expecting a cataclysmic outcome, but should look to the prophecies of St. Malachy and other private Catholic revelations, and imagine a new and better day — a new order of the ages.
In the novel, the author attempts to prove Malachy’s prophecies are trustworthy by examining several astronomical events which have taken place on The Feast of St. Malachy
— first, with the arrival of Solar Saros 133, a total eclipse of the sun, which last appeared on November 3, 1994 and is due to appear again in November 2012;
— second, with reference to the most powerful solar flare in recorded history, which arrived on earth just hours after November 3, 2003;
— and third, with the recent appearance of the 8th solar flare of Solar Cycle 24 on November 3, 2011.
Using these real life astronomical events as a backdrop to offer a sense of authenticity, the author also fictionalizes a future solar event to occur on November 3, 2012, which sets into motion a series of events in the book’s plot which portend the End of Days … the end of the current age, and the start of a new order of the ages.
A good account of the life of Malachy may be found in Saint Bernard Clairveaux’s biography of St. Malachy, written shortly after his friend’s death. In it, Saint Bernard writes that Malachy had the gift of prophecy, and that he predicted the hour and day of his own death. However, Saint Bernard did not reference The Prophecy of the Popes in his biography, likely because he did not know about them.
Indeed, it was not until 1871 that the French abbott Cucherat wrote a treatise called, “Proph de la succession des papes” in which he explained that Malachy had experienced visions while he was in Rome in 1139. Cucherat claims that Malachy fell into a deep trance while in Rome and could see the complete line of popes until the end of time, which he uttered in Latin with an epigram for each pope. According to Cucherat, Malachy’s servant wrote them down, and then St. Malachy presented his manuscript to Pope Innocent II, where it was kept from the public in the Secret Vatican Archives and forgotten until its discovery in 1590.
For more information about St. Malachy and his prophecies — factual, fictional, and legendary, the reader may wish to pick up a copy of “The Rapture of Darkness,” now available on Amazon.com and at other leading booksellers. Also, look for The Companion Guide to the novel, to be published in early 2012.
N.B. — In the interest of full disclosure, Joncrown444, is the author of “The Rapture of Darkness,” referenced above.
Also, it is interesting to note that Sunspot 1339 came to life in early November, 2011 as the largest sunspot in seven years, and on The Feast of St. Malachy, November 3, 2011, it generated an X-Class flare, magnitude 1.9 — the eighth of the year, thus confirming the arrival of the Solar Max, which is expected to peak in 2012.
On that same day, Rome announced that Cardinal Bernard Law was turning 80 years old, and would automatically lose his right to vote in the conclave of cardinals which will elect the next pope. The conclave was reduced to 112 members … with the number 112 being important as the last number of The Final Pope in Malachy’s prophecy.
Meaningless coincidence? Perhaps. Came to life in early November, 2011 as the largest sunspot in seven years, and on The Feast of St. Malachy, November 3, 2011, it generated an X-Class flare, magnitude 1.9 — the eighth of the year, thus confirming the arrival of the Solar Max, which is expected to peak in 2012.
On that same day, Rome announced that Cardinal Bernard Law was turning 80 years old, and would automatically lose his right to vote in the conclave of cardinals which will elect the next pope.
The conclave was reduced to 112 members … with the number 112 being important as the last number of The Final Pope in Malachy’s prophecy. Meaningless coincidence? Perhaps.
