Is the Tribulation about to begin? Is it already occurring? Chances are it is.

The Malachy Prophecies have NEVER been wrong. They basically consist of a few sentences about each pope, detailed chronologically from the beginning by Malachy. Pope John Paul II was De labore Solis or "Of the Eclipse/Labor Of the Sun." Pope John Paul II, 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 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. Quite a coincidence since they happen so infrequently. Lunar eclipses happen all the time but solar eclipses are much rarer.

Pope Benedictine XVI is attributed as Gloria Olivae, or "Glory of the Olives." 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 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 honour Benedict XV, a pope of peace and reconciliation, perhaps Benedict XVI will be a peacemaker in the Church or in the World, and thus carry the olive branch.

Now the really interesting part was that the Gloria Olivae was deemed as the 2cd to last pope that we will ever have in the Malachy Prophecies. After that time the final pope is accredited as Petrus Romanus, or "Peter the Roman."

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 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.)

So it is believed that after Benedict's reign as pope, Pope Peter will lead the church through its greatest persecution, and ultimately against the antiChrist who is due to appear any time now. With the mass of "cafeteria Catholics" who pick and choose the parts they like the most about Catholicism, it is not hard to believe that with Benedicts' coronation there will be great dissent due to his conservative and traditional ways. People keep rambling about having a "progressive pope." That's an oxymoron...popes are not meant to bring about change persay...arrogance is what changes things that have been set in stone. Popes have humility in that they do not change what is decreed by a higher seat than they.

Interesting stuff. Scary stuff.