Ancient prophecy comes to light following

A centuries-old prophecy claiming Pope Francis would be the final pope has resurfaced following his reported death at age 88 on April 21, 2025. Known as The Prophecy of the Popes, the list of 112 cryptic phrases—attributed to 12th-century Irish bishop St. Malachy—was published in 1595 and allegedly predicts the identities of Catholic popes starting from Celestine II in 1143. According to this prophecy, Pope Francis, believed by some to be the 112th pope, marks the end of the line, suggesting no new pope will be named or that the next one won’t have been prophesied.

Despite renewed interest, church historians like Fr. James Weiss of Boston College have dismissed the prophecy as a likely forgery, citing vague and inconsistent descriptions for popes after 1590. The prophecy’s final pope, described as “Peter the Roman,” is linked by conspiracy theorists to apocalyptic visions including the destruction of Rome. However, Weiss suggests this could represent political or symbolic judgment rather than literal doomsday. Nonetheless, the Vatican plans to begin its conclave this week to elect a new pope, with frontrunners including Pietro Parolin and Pierbattista Pizzaballa. White smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney will signal the selection of the next head of the Catholic Church.