St Malachy Prophecies

From the Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 edition

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 cælo (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 olivæ. 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.
Notes

Note: The Pope numbers given are from a previous work, and do not accord with the official counting of
the Vatican. Our current pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Pope. I am unable to explain this
discrepancy.

Note: The commentaries below are only brief and selective. A commentary on every motto is given in
Peter Bander's book: The Prophecies of St Malachy.

The Prophecies

Motto
Pope No. Name (Reign) Motto (and explanation)
No.
Ex castro Tyberis (from a castle on the Tiber)
167 Celestine II (1143-1144) 1 Hist.: Celestin II was born in Citta di Castello,
Toscany, on the shores of the Tiber
168 Lucius II (1144-1145) 2 Inimicus expulsus
Ex magnitudine montis (Of the greatness of the
mount)
169 Eugene III (1145-1153) 3
Hist.: Born in the castle of Grammont (latin: mons
magnus), his family name was Montemagno
170 Anastasius IV (1153-1154) 4 Abbas Suburranus
De rure albo (field of Albe)
171 Adrian IV (1154-1159) 5
Hist.: Born in the town of Saint-Alban
Antipope Victor IV (1159-1164) 6 Ex tetro carcere
Antipope Paschal III (1164-1168) 7 Via trans-Tyberina
Antipope Calistus III (1168-1178) 8 De Pannonia Tusciæ
172 Alexander III (1159-1181) 9 Ex ansere custode
173 Lucius III (1181-1185) 10 Lux in ostio
174 Urban III (1185-1187) 11 Sus in cribo
175 Gregory VIII (1187) 12 Ensis Laurentii
176 Clement III (1187-1191) 13 De schola exiet
177 Celestine III (1191-1198) 14 De rure bovensi
Comes signatus (signed Count)
178 Innocent III (1198-1216) 15 Hist.: descendant of the noble Signy, later called
Segni family
179 Honorius III (1216-1227) 16 Canonicus de latere
Avis Ostiensis (Bird of Ostia)
180 Gregory IX (1227-1241) 17
Hist.: before his election he was Cardinal of Ostia
181 Celestine IV (1241) 18 Leo Sabinus
182 Innocent IV (1243-1254) 19 Comes Laurentius
183 Alexander IV (1254-1261) 20 Signum Ostiense
Hierusalem Campaniæ (Jerusalem of Champagne)
184 Urban IV (1261-1264) 21 Hist.: native of Troyes, Champagne, later patriarch
of Jerusalem
185 Clement IV (1265-1268) 22 Draca depressus
186 Gregory X (1271-1276) 23 Anguinus vir
187 Innocent V (1276) 24 Concionatur Gallus
188 Adrian V (1276) 25 Bonus Comes
189 John XXI (1276-1277) 26 Piscator Tuscus
190 Nicholas III (1277-1280) 27 Rosa composita
191 Martin IV (1281-1285) 28 Ex teloneo liliacei Martini
192 Honorius IV (1285-1287) 29 Ex rosa leonina
193 Nicholas IV (1288-1292) 30 Picus inter escas
Ex eremo celsus (elevated from a hermit)
194 Nicholas IV (1288-1292) 31 Hist.: prior to his election he was a hermit in the
monastery of Pouilles
195 Boniface VIII (1294-1303) 32 Ex undarum benedictione
196 Benedict XI (1303-1304) 33 Concionator patereus
De fessis Aquitanicis (ribbon of Aquitaine)
197 Clement V (1305-1314) 34
Hist.: was archbishop of Bordeaux in Aquitaine
De sutore osseo (of the cobbler of Osseo)
198 John XXII (1316-1334) 35
Hist.: Family name Ossa, son of a shoe-maker
Corvus schismaticus (the schismatic crow)
Antipope Nicholas V (1328-1330) 36 Note the reference to the schism, the only antipope at
this period
Frigidus Abbas (cold friar)
199 Benedict XII (1334-1342) 37 Hist.: he was a priest in the monastery of Frontfroid
(coldfront)
200 Clement VI (1342-1352) 38 De rosa Attrebatensi
201 Innocent VI (1352-1362) 39 De montibus Pammachii
202 Urban V (1362-1370) 40 Gallus Vice-comes
Novus de Virgine forti (novel of the virgin fort)
203 Gregory XI (1370-1378) 41 Hist.: count of Beaufort, later Cardinal of Ste-Marie
La Neuve
Antipope Clement VII (1378-1394) 42 De cruce Apostilica
Antipope Benedict XIII (1394-1423) 43 Luna Cosmedina
Antipope Clement VIII (1423-1429) 44 Schisma Barcinonicum
De Inferno pregnani(From the hell of Pregnani)
204 Urban VI (1378-1389) 45 Hist.: He was a town called Inferno in the region of
Pregnani.
205 Boniface IX (1389-1404) 46 Cubus de mixtione
206 Innocent VII (1404-1406) 47 De meliore sydere
207 Gregory XII (1406-1415) 48 Nauta de ponte nigro
Antipope Alexander V (1409-1410) 49 Flagellum Solis
Antipope John XXIII (1410-1415) 50 Cervus Sirenæ
208 Martin V (1417-1431) 51 Corona veli aurei
209 Eugene IV (1431-1447) 52 Lupa cælestina
Antipope Felix V (1439-1449) 53 Amator crucis
210 Nicholas V (1447-1455) 54 De modicitate lunæ
Bos pascens (grazing ox)
211 Callistus III (1455-1458) 55 Hist.: Alphonse Borgia's arms sported a golden
grazing ox
212 Pius II (1458-1464) 56 De capra et Albergo
213 Paul II (1464-1471) 57 De cervo et Leone
214 Sixtus IV (1471-1484) 58 Piscator Minorita
215 Innocent VIII (1484-1492) 59 Præcursor Siciliæ
216 Alexander VI (1492-1503) 60 Bos Albanus in portu
217 Pius III (1503) 61 De parvo homine
218 Julius II (1503-1513) 62 Fructus jovis juvabit
219 Leo X (1513-1521) 63 De craticula Politiana
220 Adrian VI (1522-1523) 64 Leo Florentius
221 Clement VII (1523-1534) 65 Flos pilæi ægri
222 Paul III (1534-1549) 66 Hiacynthus medicorum
223 Julius III (1550-1555) 67 De corona Montana
224 Marcellus II (1555) 68 Frumentum floccidum
225 Paul IV (1555-1559) 69 De fide Petri
226 Pius IV (1559-1565) 70 Æsculapii pharmacum
227 St. Pius V (1566-1572) 71 Angelus nemorosus
228 Gregory XIII (1572-1585) 72 Medium corpus pilarum
229 Sixtus V (1585-1590) 73 Axis in medietate signi
230 Urban VII (1590) 74 De rore cæli
231 Gregory XIV (1590-1591) 75 De antiquitate Urbis
232 Innocent IX (1591) 76 Pia civitas in bello
233 Clement VIII (1592-1605) 77 Crux Romulea
234 Leo XI (1605) 78 Undosus Vir
235 Paul V (1605-1621) 79 Gens perversa
236 Gregory XV (1621-1623) 80 In tribulatione pacis
237 Urban VIII (1623-1644) 81 Lilium et rosa
238 Innocent X (1644-1655) 82 Jucunditas crucis
239 Alexander VII (1655-1667) 83 Montium custos
Sydus Olorum (constellation of swans)
240 Clement IX (1667-1669) 84 Hist.: upon his election, he was apparently the
occupant of the Chamber of Swans in the Vatican.
241 Clement X (1670-1676) 85 De flumine magno
242 Innocent XI (1676-1689) 86 Bellua insatiabilis
243 Alexander VIII (1689-1691) 87 Pœnitentia gloriosa
244 Innocent XII (1691-1700) 88 Rastrum in porta
245 Clement XI (1700-1721) 89 Flores circumdati
246 Innocent XIII (1721-1724) 90 De bona Religione
247 Benedict XIII (1724-1730) 91 Miles in bello
248 Clement XII (1730-1740) 92 Columna excelsa
249 Benedict XIV (1740-1758) 93 Animal rurale
250 Clement XIII (1758-1769) 94 Rosa Umbriæ
251 Clement XIV (1769-1774) 95 Ursus velox
252 Pius VI (1775-1799) 96 Peregrinus Apostolicus
253 Pius VII (1800-1823) 97 Aquila rapax
254 Leo XII (1823-1829) 98 Canis et coluber
255 Pius VIII (1829-1830) 99 Vir religiosus
De balneis hetruriæ (bath of Etruria)
Hist.: prior to his election he was member of an
256 Gregory XVI (1831-1846) 100
order founded by Saint Romuald, at Balneo, in
Etruria, present day Toscany.
Crux de cruce (Cross of Crosses)
Hist.:Pius XI was the last Pope to reign over the
Papal States (the middle third of what is today Italy).
257 Pius IX (1846-1878) 101
He ended up being a prisoner of the Vatican, never
venturing outside Vatican City. A much heavier
burden than his predecessors.
Lumen in cælo (Light in the Heavens)
Hist.: Leo XIII wrote encyclicals on Catholic social
258 Leo XIII (1878-1903) 102
teaching that were still being digested 100 years
later. He added considerably to theology.
Ignis ardens (ardent fire)
Hist.: The Pope had great personal piety and
259 St. Pius X (1903-1914) 103 achieved a number of important reforms in the
devotional and liturgical life of priests and
laypeople.
260 Benedict XV (1914-1922) 104 Religio depopulata (Religion laid waste)
 Hist.: This Pope reigned during the Bolshevik
Revolution in Russia which starts the establishment
of Communism.
Fides intrepida (Intrepid faith)
Hist.: This Pope stood up to Fascist and Communist
261 Pius XI (1922-1939) 105
forces lining up against him in the lead up to World
War II.
Pastor angelicus (Angelic Shepherd)
Hist.: This Pope was very mystical, and is believed
to have received visions. People would kneel when
they received telephone calls from him. His
262 Pius XII (1939-1958) 106
encyclicals add enormously to the understanding of
Catholic beliefs (even if they are now overlooked
because of focus on the Second Vatican Council,
which occurred so soon after his reign).
Pastor et Nauta (pastor and marine)
263 John XXIII (1958-1963) 107 Hist.: prior to his election he was patriarch of
Venice, a marine city, home of the gondolas
Flos florum (flower of flowers)
264 Paul VI (1963-1978) 108
Hist.: his arms displayed three lilies.
De medietate Lunæ (of the half of the moon)
Hist.: Albino Luciani, born in Canale d'Agardo,
265 John Paul I (1978) 109 diocese of Belluno, (beautiful moon) Elected pope
on August 26, his reign lasted about a month, from
half a moon to the next half...
De labore Solis (of the eclipse of the sun, or from the
labour of the sun)
Hist.: Karol Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920
during a solar eclipse. He also comes from behind
the former Iron Curtain (the East, where the Sun
266 John Paul II (1978-2005) 110 rises). He might also be seen to be the fruit of the
intercession of the Woman Clothed with the Sun
labouring in Revelation 12 (because of his devotion
to the Virgin Mary). His Funeral occurred on 8
April, 2005 when there was a solar eclipse visible in
the Americas.
Gloria olivæ
The Benedictine order traditionally said this Pope
would come from their order, since a branch of the
Benedictine order is called the Olivetans. St
Benedict is said to have prophesied that before the
267 Benedict XVI (2005-) 111 end of the world, a member of his order would be
Pope and would triumphantly lead the Church in its
fight against evil. While the Holy Father chose the
name "Benedict", this does not seem enough to fulfil
the prophecy. Nor is it clear how Benedict XVI (a
Bavarian) is "Glory of the Olives". Since he is said
 to have remarked in the Conclave after saying he
would take the name Benedict that it was partly to
111 honour Benedict XV, a pope of peace and
267 Benedict XVI (2005-) reconciliation, perhaps Benedict XVI will be a
peacemaker in the Church or in the World, and thus
carry the olive branch.
In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus
Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus:
quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, & Judex
tremêdus judicabit populum suum. Finis.
(In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman
The Last Pope 112 Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who
will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the
term of which the city of seven hills will be
destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his
people. The End.)