What's in a name?

St Malachy made a prophecy in 1139 concerning the popes of the Catholic Church. He prophesied that there would be 112 popes before the tribulation. Cardinal Ratzinger was the 111th. Ratzinger has just announced that he would retire as early as spring in 2013.

 Malachy accurately prophesied the characteristics of the popes who have come into office. For example, Ratzinger is the “Glory of the olive”. The Benedictine Order is also known as the Olivetans, which is a name derived from the Mount of Olives in the New Testament. While Ratzinger was not a Benedictine, he chose the name Benedict after St Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine Order. St Malachy’s prophesied that the last pope would be “Petrus Romanus”. Petrus Romanus would “pasture his sheep” in a tumultuous time period just prior to the tribulation.

In this time period the “city of seven hills”,  would be judged. In the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit … Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations: and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills (Rome) will be destroyed, and the terrible judge will judge his people. The End.


Here’s the skinny: According to a biography, St. Malachy, a Catholic Bishop of Ireland, was visiting Rome in 1139 when he went into a trance and had a vision claiming to have seen all the popes following Innocent II until the destruction of the church and the return of Christ.

 The result of this vision was that he named 112 popes from that time until the end. For each of these Popes, he wrote prophetically describing each pope in Latin. The manuscript was forgotten until 1590 when it was later found and published. The Latin descriptions are very brief, but scholars have matched them to each successive pope since that time with unusual accuracy. That’s what makes these prophecies so interesting. 

Now here come the prophetic punches: St. Malachy’s description of Pope 111 includes the olive! Pope Benedict’s Papal administration is now characterized by the olive tree thanks to Israel. Remember, I always say, keep your eye on Israel for Israel is God’s prophetic time clock. What Israel does or what happens to Israel marks a click on the clock towards prophetic fulfillment.

 Here’s what St. Malachy said about Pope Benedict--The prophecy for the 111th Pope was “Gloria Olivae”, which means ‘the glory of the Olive.’ Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its final fight against evil.

 Based on this, the Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from its group. So, let’s take a look at a few things that seem to tie the current pope, Benedict XVI, with this prophecy: The olive branch is the symbol of the Order of Saint Benedict Although Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was not a Benedictine, he chose the name in honor of the founder of that order On 5 April 1993, the future Pope Benedict XVI was installed as the cardinal bishop of Velletri-Segni whose coat of arms is emblazoned with three olive trees.
Pope Benedict XVI was born on 16 April, the feast day of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre That seals the deal, right? And guess what? Pope Benedict XVI is old and in failing health. He was born in 1927, turns 85 in April, and was one of the oldest popes ever seated.

http://americanprophet.org/An-Olive-Israel-the-Pope-and-an-Ancient-Prophecy-Fulfilling_752.htm



Of course some just dismiss the prophecy all together:

Following Benedict's resignation, theorists began questioning if Malachy might actually be right.

However, although Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana might bear the same name as the person mentioned in the prophecy, there are no Roman-born cardinals in the running to be Benedict's successor.

"There are no Pietros among the living cardinals; two Pierres (as second name): Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir and Jean-Pierre Ricard; and one Pedro: Rubiano Sáenz," according to librarian Salvador Miranda, creator and producer of the website The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church.

Like any good conspiracy theory, there are many holes in the lore of St. Malachy, according to Father James Weiss, a professor of church history at Boston College.

First of all, there is no original manuscript of the prediction. Malachy's vision was allegedly discovered and published by Benedictine Arnold de Wyon in 1590. Prior to that date, there is no mention or record of it, Weiss told The Huffington Post.

Reputable church historians and clerics have considered it a forgery since the 18th century.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/st-malachy-last-pope-prophecy-theologians-prediction-_n_2679662.html

Well folks, we will know by Easter if this prophesy has again come to pass!