We are compelled, against our wishes, to introduce a parenthesis in this extraordinary story—more fantastic than a Dantesque narrative and more difficult to grasp in all its profound significance than any concoction of the human imagination. This interruption is necessary for the sake of clarification and for a better comprehension of the issue at hand and in order to provide some details that may facilitate a better understanding for the reader of what is being said here.

We have repeatedly said, in this explanation of the Prophecy of Saint Malachi which we are providing, that the corresponding motto of the Pontificate during which the Church is living in these moments, the Pontificate of Benedict XVI, is Of the Glory of the Olive Tree. Such motto occupies the next-to-last place on the list of all pontiffs, since the Prophecy points to a certain Petrus Romanus (Peter the Roman) who is a mysterious character about whom commentators have done much lucubration throughout the centuries. According to the Prophecy, though, it is very clear that the Pope about whom the last motto is concerned will coincide with the final moments of the History of the Church and of the entire Humankind; the very moment when Humanity will be judged by the Supreme Judge at His Second and Final Coming.

The name Petrus Romanus appears surrounded by the most profound of mysteries within the context of a Prophecy which, in the hypothesis that one may want to admit as certain, is, by itself, quite arcane and sufficiently enigmatic. It is curious to note that, throughout the History of the Church, no Pope wished to attribute to himself the name of Peter, doubtless out of respect and devotion to Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles and First Pope of the Institution of Salvation founded by Jesus Christ. This is a historical fact that eludes any type of speculation. Such name—Peter—has been virtually reserved, according to the Prophecy, to the Pope that will close History, coinciding with the Second and Final Coming of the Supreme Judge.

Now, such as always occurs in any prophecy –and even more so regarding this one—, no one knows either what  the name Peter signifies or answers to exactly, or to what such presumed Romanness refers. According to some commentators, such appellation is purely generic in this case, they may even add that the lapse of time between the Pope pointed as next to last—Of the Glory of the Olive Tree —and the one established as the last of all—Petrus Romanus—is indefinite; which might entail that between one and the other there could reign other Popes not explicitly mentioned in the Prophecy of Saint Malachi. This is a hypothesis, nevertheless, that the Prophecy itself seems to belie, according to what we will see immediately.

And if this were not enough, an important concern remains to be added, as something able to increase the mystery. In reality, the Prophecy does not definitively end with the enumeration of the 112 mottos; at the end of all of these, the text incorporates a sort of postscript, as disturbing as it is enigmatic, which reads exactly thus:

            In prosecutione extrema S.R.E. (Sanctæ Romanæ Eclessiæ)

            sedebit Petrus Romanus,

            qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus,

            quibus transactis, civitas septicollis diruetur.

            Et Judex tremendus iudicabit populum suum. Finis.

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Which translated from the Latin means the following: During the final persecution that the Holy Roman Church will suffer, Petrus Romanus shall reign, who will tend the sheep among a multitude of tribulations; after which, the City of the Seven Hills (Rome) shall be destroyed. And the terrible Judge shall judge His people. The end.

And we have not yet reached the end of the series of question marks which the prophetic text presents. For no one can agree on whether the Shepherd, who will tend what still remains of the Flock of Jesus Christ during those terrible moments, refers to the Pope marked as Peter the Roman or to the one to whom the motto Of the Glory of the Olive Tree (Benedict XVI) belongs. According to which, it is necessary to recognize that the Prophecy is also quite ambiguous on this topic too.

As far as we are concerned—and we still remain within the realm of commentaries and speculations—, we are inclined to think that the aforenamed Shepherd is undoubtedly Peter the Roman. There are arguments which support this affirmation which will certainly appear as shocking to some. We will endeavour to say something in this regard, but we must first make an important observation.

As anybody may suppose, this whole problem has given rise to a multitude of speculations regarding both the moment of the End of the World and what is known in Theology by the name of Parousia, or Second Coming of Our Lord. We do not pronounce ourselves in either way regarding this theme, nor do we lean either in favour of its proximity or its remoteness in time. The main reason for our position being that God has reserved to Himself the exact moment of such a transcendental Event, according to the Words of Jesus Christ Himself; and in no way has God willed to reveal it (Mt 24,36; Acts 1:7). On the other hand, this study does not refer to that moment concretely; therefore, I will make no attempt to expand on it. The present work merely endeavors to develop a commentary on the prophetic motto Of the Glory of the Olive Tree, which anybody may feel free to either accept or reject.

We have stated above that the prophetic text that points to the Shepherd who will lead the decimated Flock of Jesus Christ during the last Great Persecution refers to Peter the Roman, not to Benedict XVI. The main reason at the base of our statement is that the current reigning Pope does not seem to possess the sufficient qualities to attribute to him such a laudatory title. To expound this statement would require a historical-theological essay, not this editorial which by nature is, after all, purely journalistic.

Regarding the decimated Flock of Jesus Christ –those who will remain in those terrible moments—, let us remember the words of Saint Paul in which he speaks of the Great Apostasy that will take place during the Final Times (2 Thess 2:3); as well as those words of Jesus Christ Himself: But when the Son of Man comes, will He perchance find Faith on Earth? (Lk 18:8).

Returning to our previous Editorial, we said that the Church nowadays is the Great Defeated One before God. The Big Culprit of an Apostasy of which it will have to render account before the Justice of the Terrible Judge. In this regard, we alluded to two especially serious faults, which seem to have been the main ones that have brought the ruin of the present crisis down upon the Church.

Regarding this ruin, there remains only the promise of Jesus Christ which grants us the certainty of overcoming it (And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail …).

In any case, the parenthesis we have introduced for the sake of clarification, due to the limitations of space, has forced us to leave the development of such a theme for the next publication.