The Final Pope? Prophecy, Power & the End of an Era
On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away in Vatican City. The world mourns the loss of a spiritual leader known for his humility, his outreach, and his efforts to reform the Church from within. But while headlines focus on legacy, faith, and political impact, there’s another question rising beneath the surface—one that stretches back nearly 900 years.
Was this death foretold? And if so, does it mean the papacy itself has come to an end?
Let’s unravel one of the strangest religious prophecies in history.
Image Credit: DALL-E
In the 1100s, an Irish archbishop named St. Malachy reportedly received a vision while on pilgrimage in Rome. In it, he saw a list of 112 future popes, each described with a short, cryptic Latin phrase. This list was lost for centuries before mysteriously reappearing in 1595—published in a book by Benedictine monk Arnold de Wyon.
Some scholars believe the prophecy is a 16th-century forgery designed to promote the election of Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli. Others argue that the uncanny accuracy of the mottos, especially those written after the supposed forgery timeline, suggests something more mysterious.
Each pope, from Celestine II in 1143 to John Paul II and Benedict XVI, has had a motto that somehow aligns with their coat of arms, birthplace, or personal legacy. For example, Pope John Paul II's motto, "De labore solis" (Of the solar eclipse or of the labor of the sun), coincides with the fact that he was born and buried during solar eclipses.
Which brings us to pope #112.
The final pope on St. Malachy's list is described as:
In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will sit Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations. When these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge his people. The End.
Now, here's where things get interesting. Pope Francis is the 266th pope in official Vatican records, but in the St. Malachy prophecy, he is the 112th pope since the prophecy began with Celestine II. The discrepancy is due to how papal history is counted: the prophecy does not include antipopes (rival claimants), nor does it match the Vatican's line-up one-for-one. It has its own sequence, beginning after the vision in 1143.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, doesn’t carry the name Peter. But interpretations of prophecy rarely require exact matches. Francis took his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, who was born Giovanni di Pietro. Pietro. Peter.
As a Roman bishop, Francis lived in the city of seven hills. He led the Church during global upheaval, scandal, political division, and spiritual disillusionment. While not literal, the connections are striking.
And now, he is gone.
Image Credit: DALL-E
Adding to the weight of his death is the timing: Pope Francis died just one week to the day of Easter Monday—a deeply symbolic day in Christianity. It marks the beginning of the Resurrection season, a time meant to signify rebirth, triumph over death, and the rising of hope. But within that same biblical timeline is one lesser-known moment: the cursing of the fig tree by Jesus. According to the Gospels, Jesus cursed the fig tree on Easter Monday for bearing no fruit, a symbolic act that theologians interpret as a judgment against false appearances of righteousness.
The overlap is chilling: a prophetic final pope, an empty seat, a death on a day tied to divine judgment.
The City of Seven Hills Will Be Destroyed….
Rome, known for its seven hills, has long been a stand-in for the Catholic Church itself. But there is no fire, no collapse, no physical destruction.
Instead, some say we are witnessing a slower, more profound undoing:
Membership declining: In many parts of the world, particularly Europe and North America, attendance and adherence are steadily shrinking.
Scandals eroding trust: Decades of abuse revelations have fractured the Church’s credibility.
Doctrines struggling to keep pace with modern society: From reproductive rights to LGBTQ+ inclusion, the Church has found itself increasingly at odds with contemporary values.
Global Catholicism shifting: Growth is now concentrated in the Global South, especially in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.
Is this destruction? Or transformation?
The prophecy ends with a dramatic warning: "The dreadful Judge will judge the people."
Some interpret this as divine reckoning—a final judgment on humanity. Others see it more figuratively, pointing to the cultural and historical judgment already taking place.
In an age of digital transparency, no institution—not even the Vatican—is immune from scrutiny. The Church has been forced to reckon with its past in a way that once seemed unimaginable.
Perhaps the Judge isn’t a single figure. Maybe it’s a system of consequences that the Church can no longer avoid. And that may be exactly what the prophecy meant.
If another pope is elected, does that mean the prophecy was wrong? Not necessarily.
Some theorists believe this next leader will not be a traditional pope, but a transitional figure. Possibly the last ceremonial head before the structure changes entirely. Others think the prophecy referred to the final true pope before an age of confusion, division, or decentralization.
There's also the possibility that the prophecy ends with the last pope who could lead in the traditional way. Any future successors may be leaders in name only, with dwindling power and fractured influence.
Some fringe theorists even suggest the next pope could emerge during a schism, dividing the Catholic Church further than ever before.
No matter what happens next, the world will be watching.
Twelve centuries ago, a mysterious list was written. Today, we may be watching its final line come to life.
The Catholic Church has weathered reformations, revolutions, and reckonings. But with the death of Pope Francis, and the fulfillment of the 112th entry in a prophecy long dismissed, one question lingers:
Is this the end of an era—or the end of the papacy itself?
We may not have the answer yet.
But the countdown has already begun.
