The recent passing of Pope Francis has brought renewed attention to some unsettling predictions made by the French astrologer Nostradamus regarding the Catholic Church’s leadership.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday (April 21) after suffering a cerebral stroke that resulted in a coma and irreversible heart failure.
Prior to his passing, the pope had been experiencing health issues, having been hospitalized earlier in the year for an infection that escalated to double pneumonia.
In the official statement announcing his passing, Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell stated: “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune.”
The death of Pope Francis has led enthusiasts of the paranormal to revisit the predictions of Nostradamus, who lived in the 16th century. He has previously been credited with foreseeing significant global events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the assassination of President John F Kennedy.
One of Nostradamus’s predictions is associated with the leader of the Catholic Church, as it mentions a ‘Pontiff’—a formal title for the Pope.
The prophecy reads: “Through the death of a very old Pontiff / A Roman of good age will be elected / Of him it will be said that he weakens his seat / But long will he sit and in mordant activity.”
Nostradamus also made additional claims that could provide clues about the next pope.
He wrote: “A young man of dark skin with the help of the great king will deliver the purse to another of red color.”
Although Nostradamus suggested who might succeed the pope, the identity of the new leader will remain unknown until the conclave concludes—the process by which the new pope is chosen.
This gathering includes cardinals under the age of 80 from around the world who convene to cast their votes for the Catholic Church’s new leader.
Once the conclave commences, the cardinals will remain sequestered until a new pope has been elected.
During the conclave, voters are prohibited from using phones, accessing the internet, or reading newspapers.
After reaching a decision, the ballots and tally sheets used in the voting process are burned in a stove, producing white smoke to signal to the outside world that a new leader has been chosen.