Please allow me to mention the often disparaged Prophecy of the Popes.This was published in 1595 by the Benedictine monk, Fr. Arnold Wion.
It consists of a total of 113 papal mottos. The first 111 of these consist of just one line. Number 112 has two lines, and number 113, eight lines.
We find ourselves presently at motto number 112 which applies to Pope Francis:
In psecutione. extre-
ma S.R.E. sedebit.
Translation: He will preside during the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church,
**Fr. Wion’s list is presently discounted as a legitimate prophecy because of a spurious editing that was published in 1624 by Fr. Thomas Messingham which had the effect of shortening it to just 112 mottos.
Here is the last page of the original list of mottos taken from LIGNUM VITAE, 1595:: **
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes#/media/File:Arnoldo_Wion_1595_Lignum_Vitae_p311.png
And here is how Fr. Messingham edited that list starting with motto number 107:
*
Pastor & Nauta.
Flos Florum.
De medietate lunae.
De laboris solis.
Gloria Olivae.
In persectione extre-
ma S.R.E sedebit Petrus
Romanus qui pascet oves
in multis tribulationibus:
quibus transactis civitas
septicollis diruetur, & ju-
dex tremed judicabit po-
pulum suum. Finis. **
**Notice how the last two paragraphs of Wion’s list have been combined into just one paragraph on Messingham’s copy.
Every subsequent writer has accepted Fr. Messingham’s spurious alteration of Fr. Wion’s original.
Much confusion has resulted leading to speculation that Pope Francis is the last pope, Petrus Romanus.
Now it has become obvious that Pope Francis is not Petrus Romanus, and that has led to the discrediting of this prophecy.
However, if Fr. Wion’s original list is taken as the correct one, then we see that the last Pope, Petrus Romanus is still to come.
I believe that Fr. Wion’s prophecy is legitimate. Our Church will have only one more Pope. That idea is something to think about indeed.
**
What is the 3rd Luminous Mystery of the Rosary? The proclamation of the Kingdom of God - it (He) stood right in front of them in Flesh and Blood. Hmmm, flesh and blood, I’ve read that somewhere…