We are aware, of course… predictions and premonitions… cue the boredom. Nevertheless, this specific prophecy has attracted sufficient attention online to merit conversation among internet users. This is remarkable considering it was reportedly first documented almost a millennium ago.

Stay with us if you possess even a slight interest in the occult, the unusual, or the eerie, or if you simply enjoy thrilling doomsday prophecies that are unlikely to ever materialize.

Unless you have been completely disconnected from any form of technology in recent days, you will know that Pope Francis passed away earlier this week on Monday, April 21.

The Vatican confirmed the news of the 88-year-old’s death, with the cause later identified as a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and heart failure.

A nine-day mourning period has now commenced, and arrangements for Pope Francis’ burial are progressing. However, these tasks are minor compared to the challenge of selecting his successor.

While this process is often lengthy and carries immense significance and meaning, the choice of the next pope may hold even greater importance, particularly if one subscribes to the aforementioned 1,000-year-old prophecy.

This prophecy is believed to enumerate 112 popes, essentially forecasting that there will be only one more pope following Benedict, the pontiff who abdicated and was succeeded by Pope Francis.

More concerning is the assertion that Saint Malachy predicted this final reign could herald the end of the world, suggesting that Pope Francis might be the last individual to occupy this position.

The concluding entry states that the last pope will be: “Peter the Roman, who will shepherd his flock through numerous tribulations, and when these events are completed, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the fearsome judge will pass judgment on his people. The End.”

Pope Francis selected his name in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi, whose father was named Pietro, or Peter in English. This connection may be tenuous, yet it is one that individuals reference in an effort to validate the prophecy.

Furthermore, certain interpretations of the Prophecy of the Popes suggest that the world may come to an end in 2027… indicating that there is limited time remaining before significant challenges arise.

In light of the current global unrest, it seems that the prophecy may resonate more than one would prefer. Nevertheless, it is important to note that numerous critics dismiss Saint Malachy’s dire forecasts.

In 2013, Josh Canning, the director of Toronto’s Chaplaincy at the Newman Centre, remarked (as reported by Global News): “I don’t know how you can connect Peter the Roman with Pope Francis.”