Doomsayers Say Benedict Fits World End Prophecy
More pressing for doomsayers are the prophecy's references to the last Pope on the list, Peter the Roman, who will lead the Church before "the formidable judge will judge his people."
I can't imagine there will be another Pope who has the chutzpa to pick the name Peter...
I think the Coptics had a Pope Peter back in the day.
You're right. I couldn't imagine the Bishop of Rome taking the name Peter II. He'd have to be an ego-maniac. But imagine some egocentric liberal cardinal (choose your fave) becoming Pope and taking the name Peter. That sounds like an end-of-the-world scenario to me.
The article overlooks an important fact: we already have a "Pope Peter II", gloriously reigning in France! The end is near! Excuse me while I go get my tinfoil hat....
Leaving aside the circumstances which might cause someone to choose that name for himself, there are currently three cardinals already named "Peter": Pedro Rubiano Saenz (Columbia), Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir (Lebanon), and Peter Seiichi Shiranyanagi (Japan). I'm hesitant to say that one of these men could not ascend the throne of Peter, but I can't see how any of them could be called "the Roman".
Is it even possible for someone to "gloriously reign in France?"
JS - good point!
Whoever the next pope is, the true believers of the pseudo-Malachy prophecy will find a way to massage him into the role of "Peter the Roman".
I think Pope Benedict is really an alien Pope...the Cardinals really elected the Belgian but the dark side of the force laid an amnesiatic mist over the Sistine Chapel and....the rest is history.