The most famous and best known prophecies about the popes are those
attributed to St. Malachy. In 1139 he went to Rome to give an
account of the affairs of his diocese to the pope, Innocent II, who promised
him two palliums for the metropolitan Sees of Armagh and Cashel. While at
Rome, he received (according to the Abbé Cucherat) the strange vision of the
future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious
pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time. The same author
tells us that St. Malachy gave his manuscript to Innocent II to console him in the midst of his tribulations, and that the document remained unknown in the Roman Archives until its discovery in 1590 (Cucherat, "Proph. de la
succession des papes", ch. xv). They were first published by Arnold de
Wyon, and ever since there has been much discussion as to whether they are
genuine predictions of St. Malachy or forgeries. The silence of 400 years
on the part of so many learned authors who had written about the popes, and
the silence of St. Bernard especially, who wrote the "Life of St. Malachy",
is a strong argument against their authenticity, but it is not conclusive if
we adopt Cucherat's theory that they were hidden in the Archives during
those 400 years.
These short prophetical announcements, in number 112, indicate some
noticeable trait of all future popes from Celestine II, who was elected in
the year 1130, until the end of the world. They are enunciated under
mystical titles. Those who have undertaken to interpret and explain these
symbolical prophecies have succeeded in discovering some trait, allusion,
point, or similitude in their application to the individual popes, either as
to their country, their name, their coat of arms or insignia, their
birth-place, their talent or learning, the title of their cardinalate, the
dignities which they held etc. For example, the prophecy concerning Urban
VIII is Lilium et Rosa (the lily and the rose); he was a native of Florence and on the arms of Florence figured a fleur-de-lis; he had three bees emblazoned on his escutcheon, and the bees gather honey from the lilies and roses. Again, the name accords often with some remarkable and rare circumstance in the pope's career; thus Peregrinus apostolicus (pilgrim pope), which designates Pius VI, appears to be verified by his journey when pope into Germany, by his long career as pope, and by his expatriation from Rome at the end of his pontificate. Those who have lived and followed the
course of events in an intelligent manner during the pontificates of Pius
IX, Leo XIII, and Pius X cannot fail to be impressed with the titles given
to each by the prophecies of St. Malachy and their wonderful
appropriateness: Crux de Cruce (Cross from a Cross) Pius IX; Lumen in
caelo (Light in the Sky) Leo XIII; Ignis ardens (Burning Fire) Pius X.
There is something more than coincidence in the designations given to these
three popes so many hundred years before their time. We need not have
recourse either to the family names, armorial bearings or cardinalatial
titles, to see the fitness of their designations as given in the prophecies.
The afflictions and crosses of Pius IX were more than fell to the lot of his
predecessors; and the more aggravating of these crosses were brought on by
the House of Savoy whose emblem was a cross. Leo XIII was a veritable
luminary of the papacy. The present pope is truly a burning fire of zeal
for the restoration of all things to Christ.
The last of these prophecies concerns the end of the world and is as
follows: "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." It has been noticed concerning Petrus Romanus, who
according to St. Malachy's list is to be the last pope, that the prophecy
does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor
designated Gloria olivoe. It merely says that he is to be the last, so that
we may suppose as many popes as we please before "Peter the Roman".
Cornelius a Lapide refers to this prophecy in his commentary "On the Gospel
of St. John" (C. xvi) and "On the Apocalypse" (cc. xvii-xx), and he
endeavours to calculate according to it the remaining years of time.