The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-06-01
The End of the World.


We saw in the New York Weekly Herald, Of
May 18th, tha prophecy ascribed to the. great
Archbishop of Armagh in ireland, st. Aalacby.
This prophecy, which consists in the ennmers-
ton of all the Popes, does NOT call them by
name, but designates them by Latin sem
tenoe, whereby each Pope can be recognised.
The Herald thinks that Plus TX. il the last one
designated; to which the Brooklyn RssssS
takes exception, saying that there are promised
ton moro Popss in that prophecy; and then
the seven billed city sill be destroyed, and the
terrible jadge will judge the people" viz after
them will be the end of the world. The ques-
tion has been put, is the prophecy authentic
Our Catholic contemporary says: 1--WE shall,
perhaps, have more to say again" mentioning
at the same time many writer's who disbeiieved
it-among others the Bollandists.
We disbelieve it, and think that it Is really
a fabrication. True that some of its epigrams
are extremely appropriate-sueh Is Apostolic
Pilgrim" of Plus VI, "Rapaciens eagle OF
Plus VII, Gross from o cross" ". Ems coat
of arms is q cross) of Plus IX.-and these cpl
grams, so happily true, would indace one to
believe the prophecy authentic; yet the reasons
against its authenticity are stronger.
1. Before the end Of the sixteenth century
no one ever made mention of such prophecy;
not even the great st. Bernard himself, in
whose arms st. Malachy died, A. D. 1143.
2. Between the legitimate Popes there are
eight Anti-popes. xss in this respect as in
othsss Che chronology is confused and incorrect
in shat Prophecy. In fact, the three Anti
popes, Victor w., Pascal Ill. Cslistus III,
are just before Pope Alexander Ill, who pre-
ceded them and the three Popes, Clement VII.
Benedict Kill and Clement VIII. are prior in
time to Urban VI, yet they had been preceded
by him.
8. Finally, tho Latin sentences intended for
the Popes anterior to Gregory XIV. {159o) can
easily be arranged and understood of them,
whilst the sentences for the Popes after Gre
CORY XIV. have no correspondence but a casual
one with the designated Popes.
The most probable origin of this pseude-
prophecy is that the supporters of Cardinal
simoncelli during the Couclave of 1880 manu-.
featured the prophecy. Cardinal Simoncelli
was frem the town of Orvieto (urbs cetus) /;
but notwithstanding this prophecy, Cardinal
sfrondati was elected Pope, taking the'name
of Gregory XIV. The Herald says, I" We cannot
make the application" OF course not, since
Cardinal Sfrondati was from the town of Gre
mona
Our Catholic contemporary has mentioned
that this alleged prophecy has been criticised
unfavorably by eminent writer's. He might
have better said, that since the appearance
of this pseudo-prophecy, most of the writers
of note have made no account whatever of
it-such as Baronius, Spondanus, Raynaldus-
whilst Papebroeck, who was born in 1928, tri-
umphantly refuted it in the forty-frst disser
tation of his Conatus historico-criticus. T&'
There is, however, great prophecy concern
ing the Popes. We hope that the Herald will
not only believe it, but publish it for the bene-
fit of all the"Catholic world. We Catholics
believe it to be AN infallible prophecy: "And
say to thee that thou art Peter, and Upon this
rock ,oiH bald my church, and the gates Of hell
shalt not prevaA against it.