An Historical and Critical Account of the So-called Prophecy of St. Malachy Regarding the Succession of Popes

Front matter

ERRATUM.

Page 92. Last sentence:—"And still his very smile," &c. is not, I am afraid, the correct translation. The true meaning is, I should think:—"And still its presence, no matter in how slight a degree, showed a countenance free from every shade and shadow of sadness."

AN

Preface

The republishing of the papers on the so-called Prophecies of St. Malachy which I contributed last year to the Ulster Examiner, has been undertaken at the request of my venerated bishop and of a number of friends. The papers, as they first appeared, had many drawbacks. In the beginning I entered rather enthusiastically into the views of a French ecclesiastic who wrote in defence of the Prophecies; then, as I went on with my work, I grew more cautious, and the more I was anxious to obtain grounds of certainty, the more my doubts increased. The only course open to me to set aside these doubts was to examine for myself as many of the original sources of information as came within my reach. This could only be done during a vacation or leave of absence, for my usual occupations are far from literary. Even now I may have to drop my pen at any moment to attend the sick or dying; ay, or it may be (with very little exaggeration when I speak of Belfast), the fallen in battle. So, as soon as I was able to obtain from my bishop a little respite from my usual labours, I set out on a literary tour, and gathered up as much information from old libraries and other sources as I could, within a period which was necessarily limited. The information thus gleaned I now submit to the public. I have the disadvantage of being young in the world as well as in literature, but as it is well-known that learned men have talked like fools on subjects they have not made a special study of, so I may deserve a hearing on the matter of "St. Malachy's Prophecy" after having made it such an object of my calm research.

Belfast, Feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel, 1879.

Introduction

Nabi is the usual Hebrew word for "prophet; Roeh also means "prophet," but it is not so often used as Nabi. Roeh is better translated by "seer," the word roeh being the present participle of the Hebrew verb raah, "he saw." The Nebihim were ex-professo prophets. Their mission was to reform the morals of the rulers and people, and to make known God's revelations regarding the hidden and the future, but in a special manner the coming of the Messiah. In a word, they were God's messengers and interpreters. Dei nuntii atque interpretes erant. The Rohim (videntes or seers) were persons who, although favoured with revelations, still followed their ordinary avocations. To this class belonged David, who, in addition to being a prophet, was a king, and attended to the duties of state.

The word "to prophesy" has several meanings in the Bible. In a general sense it means to know things which are beyond human knowledge. In this sense the Jews used it, when, after having blindfolded our Lord, they smote Him, and asked, saying: "Prophesy who is it that struck Thee" saying (Luke, xxii. 64). As though they would say, Thy knowledge must be more than human if Thou canst tell without the use of thine eyes, who is it that struck Thee. To prophesy in its usual restricted sense is "to unerringly foretell future events, which cannot be foreseen from any natural cause," and the person who foretells such events is called "a prophet." Hence, the doctor who foretells a person's death, after having learned the fatal character of the disease, cannot be called a prophet.

The knowledge of the future belongs properly to God. This knowledge pertains not to the nature either of an angel or man; and if angels and men do foretell future events, they do so as mere agents or instruments according to the revelation they receive for the time being. As to what extent the angels of darkness can foretell, it is not easy to decide. Certain it is they have no knowledge of the contingent future; that is to say, of the future properly so called, except what God for his own wise ends may give them. They are false prophets, however, as far as we are concerned, for we can never place confidence in them. They can at any rate know things which are beyond our knowledge. This arises from their nature as spirits, as well as from their knowledge of causes which are now present, though hidden from us. Thus, for instance, it would be no prophecy for the evil spirit to inform me that I was to receive a letter from a far-away friend some weeks or months hence. The spirit of darkness could have seen the friend write the letter, and in a twinkle have winged his flight here to inform me of the fact. The demon may be also pretty successful in guessing the future. Fancy his natural cleverness and long experience.

A knowledge of the future in man is usually a sign of great sanctity, "for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Apoc. xix. 10). But the "spirit of prophecy" is not always a sign of sanctity, as for instance in the case of Balaam (Numb. xxi.). Soothsayers and fortune-tellers may, perhaps, have been helped by the evil one in their predictions, and may have told things beyond the ordinary ken of mortal; still it must not be forgotten that the devil is the "father of lies," and the predictions of soothsayers, even though inspired by him, cannot be trustworthy.

To return, the knowledge of the future belongs, as I have said, to God alone; and though He gave his prophets glimpses of it, their knowledge of the events they foretold was not like unto his. Occa- sionally the prophet understood not what he was called upon to foretell. The future in the eyes of the prophet was, says Glaire, like a landscape painting. For as in the painting the objects in the foreground stand out boldly and distinctly, while the objects in the background are hazy and obscure, so in the prophetic vision the events near at hand were clearly described, while the farther they were removed into the future the darker grew the prophetic description. Now, on the canvass the near and remote do really touch each other, and are equidistant from the eye, though the artist's skill helps us to distinguish the one from the other; but in the prophetic visions there is no artistic shading to distinguish the near from the remote, and hence we find the prophets jumping from one event to another, without any regard for chronological order. The prophetic spirit did not exist per modum habitus, that is to say, there was no new force or discerning power added to the mind by which the future could be spontaneously discerned, but the prophetic vision was a mere passing thing. It came and vanished like a lime-light view. Hence the visions were frequently renewed, and each vision was introduced by such words as "The Lord spoke to me; the word of the Lord came to me," &c. St. Jerome says: "Si semper esset in Prophetis sermo Dei et juge in pectore eorum haberet hospitium nunquam tam crebro Ezechiel poneret 'Et factus est sermo Domini ad me dicens, &c. (S. Hieron in Ezech. xxxvi.).

All this must be thoroughly understood, for arguments have been used against what we may call the post-apostolic prophecies, which may with equal justice be directed against the prophecies in the Bible itself. As long as the Church has not spoken against these prophecies, they are open to doubt; but if any Catholic be inclined to rail against them, let him remember that he is a Catholic and not an infidel; or in other words, let him view these prophecies in the same light as the Church does. He should not reject them without knowing the reason why.

Prophecy in its restricted sense does not seem to have entered into the economy of the new dispensation. The divine promises made at the institution of the Church as to its imperishable nature, as well as to its own and its ruler's infallibility, require no further repetition or confirmation from an army of prophets. The words of eternal life are in its teachings. The last prophetic work which the Church acknowledges as such is the Apocalypse. The prophetic spirit did not, however, die out with the apostolic times, but the Church has not pronounced any work prophetic since then. The Church has produced a countless number of saints, who were more or less imbued with the prophetic spirit; but on any work which has been attributed to any saint as prophetic, the Church has given no decision. Isolated instances of the gift of prophecy, as possessed by certain saints, are given in the Breviary (for instance, their foretelling the hour of their deaths); but as regards those famous prophecies which have been so often published under the name of some saint, the Church simply allows us to take them for what they are worth. We should be slow to admit as well as slow to reject them; and the great test we should be guided by, no matter from how holy a source they may come, is their fulfilment. Still holy people may be found to err on the side of over-readiness to admit; Innocens credit omni verbo; astutus considerat gressus suos.

Prophetic utterances are published which have really come from holy sources, but though called prophecies are rather the pious anticipations of the ways of Providence. Parts of these prophecies are sometimes fulfilled, and parts of them contratradicted by subsequent events. The prophetic gold, it would seem, is not unmixed with alloy. It was foretold, for instance, of Pius IX., that he would regain his temporal sovereignty before his death. In fact, many so-called prophecies are merely (excuse the term) pious ravings. To return, I have said already that the Church has pronounced no decision with regard to any of the post-apostolic prophecies, and though the Council of Bale declared that there was nothing in the Revelations of St. Bridget of Sweden which was contrary to holy Scripture, the teaching of the Fathers, or morals, still we cannot conclude from this that they are true.

Calvin is said to be the author of the famous saying, that the study of the Apocalypse insanum inveniet aut faciet—finds a man mad already, or is sure to make so. The assertion, though irreverently used with regard to the word of God, may be fittingly applied to those literary curiosities of latter ages which go under the name of prophecies. It is astonishing how easily persons can believe in such prophecies, especially in cases where there is no authority for their genuineness. There are other prophecies which have given rise to a good deal of discussion, for instance, those popularly known as of St. Cesarius, of Friar Herman de Lehnin, and of Orval. To this class belong the Prophecies of St. Malachy. All are to be treated the same way—admitted or rejected, according to the evidence for or against them. The crucial test, however, of all latter-day prophecies, as far as their genuineness is concerned, is their fulfilment. I say this, supposing, of course, that the Church has not pronounced on the matter. I shall dismiss St. Cesarius, Herman de Lehnin, and Orval for the present, and shall confine myself to the prophecy attributed to St. Malachy, which, on account of its relating to the Popes, who figure so largely in the world's history, is itself of world-wide fame.

St. Malachy's Prophecy

Onuphrius Panvinius was born of a noble and ancient family in Verona, in 1529. Zedler tells us that Panvinius began to write about one thing or another, even at the early age of twelve. He was so anxious to add to his knowledge, that he studied whole nights, and never thought of food. After having joined the Augustinians, he was called to Rome, where he continued his studies, became Bachelor in Holy Scripture, and what Zedler calls Magister Studii. Thence he went to Florence where he taught scholastic Theology. At this time he could no longer conceal his unhealthy inclination towards speculative studies, and hence he sought and obtained permission from the general of his order to leave it. Panvinius wrote a great number of works on sacred and profane history, Roman Antiquities, Medals, Inscriptions, &c. Students of Roman Antiquities must not be unfamiliar with his name, and the general reader will find him quoted in Byron's "Childe Harold." He was patronised by Pius IV., and Philip II. of Spain. For some fault or other he was severely rebuked, and in fit of chagrin left Rome and went to Sicily, where he took ill of fever, of which he died in Palermo, in the 39th year of his age, A.D. 1568. His works, according to Zedler, comprised fifty volumes, many of which were in MS. Of Panvinius it has been said "Tot Onuphrius scripsit ut nihil legere, tot aliena legit ut nihil scribere potuisse videatur." It has been remarked, however, that his works are full of blunders, nevertheless he has been regarded as undoubtedly one of the most remarkable men of his age. A remarkable work of his is a short history of the Popes, entitled, "Epitome Romanorum Pontificum usque ad Paulum IV.," which was printed in Venice in 1557. Any person who opens this work and compares the account of the popes in it from Celestine II. to Paul IV., with the corresponding part of the "Prophecy of St. Malachy" will come to the conclusion that the writer of the latter, if not Panvinius himself, must have been some one who followed Panvinius's account rather too closely. In Panvinius's Epitome, the popes' armorial bearings are given, but not in every case. When the arms are given, we usually find that they figure in the prophecy, when not given, the prophecy is a play upon, or a description of the pope's name, country, family, or title, when cardinal. Moreover, we find in Panvinius the very same antipopes as given in the prophecy. Even when the pope's family-name, armorial bearings or cardinalic title is wrongly given by Panvinius, we find the forger of the prophecy to perfectly chime in with him. This so astonished me, the first time I looked over Panvinius's Epitome, that I was led to suspect that the prophecies might have been the work of Panvinius himself. However, there are difficulties in the way of this theory, and I have been forced to reject it.

Arnold Wion, was born in Douay, in Flanders, in 1554. His father was procurateur-fiscal of the same town. He first donned the religious habit in the Abbey of Aldenburg, diocese of Bruges. Seeing his country, however, a prey to political rancour and continual warfare, he left Flanders, went to Italy, and was received into the Benedictine Abbey at Mantua, which was a branch-house of the Order established at Mount Cassino. Wion, according to Moréri lived to an old age, but the date of his death is unknown. He has left us some works; (1), a Chronologia; (2), a Life of St. Gerhard: and (3), the Lignum Vitæ. This last is the celebrated work, which is first known to have contained the "Prophecy of St. Malachy." The writer after giving a short sketch of the Sainted Archbishop of Armagh, introduces the prophecies in the following words:—"He (St. Malachy) is said to have written some works, none of which I have seen up to the present, except a certain prophecy regarding the popes, which I give here because it is short, and has not been, as far as I know, ever printed, though many have been anxious to see it." Then follow the prophecies, with the corresponding popes' names and interpretations, just as they will be found reproduced immediately. At the end of the prophecy Wion remarks, "What has been added to the popes is not the work of Malachy, but of Father Alphonsus Giacon, of the Order of Preachers, the interpreter of this prophecy," which means that the original prophecy was a mere string of obscure Latin phrases, and that this Giacon added each pope's name, and showed how the prophecy applied to him . The title of Wion's work is as follows:—Lignum vitæ, ornamentum et decus Ecclesiæ, in quinque libros divisum, in quibus totius Sanctissimæ religionis Divi Benedicti, initia, viri dignitate, doctrina, sanctitate ac principatu clari describuntur: et fructus qui per eos S.R.E. accesser unt, fusissime explicantur. Auctore D. Arnoldo Wion, Belga, Duacensi, Monacho S. Benedicti de Mantua Ord. Divi Benedicti Nigror. Congregationis Cassiensis, alias S. Justini de Padua. Accessit Dilucidatio, quomodo principes Austriaci originem ducant ex Anicia Romana familia quae erat Divi Benedicti. Ad Philippum II. Hispaniarum regem potentissimum cum duplici indice. Venetiis apud Georgium Angelerium, M.D. XCV. Tacked on to the Lignum Vitæ is a dissertation where Wion tries to show that St. Benedict and the House of Austria are descended from the Anicians, an old Roman family. Of Wion's work Moreri says, "Ceux qui aiment à donner dans les fables trouveront là de quoi's'exercer." "Those who relish old stories will find them here in abundance." The Bollandist Papebroke, says Wion omitted nothing which could redound to the glory of his order. Hence he had great pleasure in ranking so great a saint and prophet as St. Malachy of Armagh among the Benedictines. St. Malachy wished to join the Clairvaux Cistercians, over whom his dear friend St. Bernard ruled as Abbot. This request was refused by the Pope, but we all know that St. Malachy ended his days in their midst. Now, the Cistercians are a branch of the Benedictine Order, and thus Wion by a slight stretch of imagination, could claim him as a Benedictine.

It will be interesting to give now a reliable version of the prophecies. They have been often published, and there are various readings, but the following transcribed word for word from Wion's book, must go very far, if not, the whole way, in setting the question of readings at rest. In vol. ii. p. 307, seq., we read:—

"Dunensis in Hibernia sub Archiepiscopo Armacano. S. Malachias, Hibernus monachus, Benchorensis et Archiep . Ardm . cum aliquot annis sedi illi præfuisset humilitatis causa Archiepiscopatu abdicavit, anno circiter Domini 1137 et Dunensi sede contentus, in ea ad finem usque vitæ permansit . Obiit an 1148 die 2 Nov. S. Bern. in ejus vitam.

"Ad eum extant epistolæ S. Bernardi tres videlicet 315, 316 et 317. Scripsisse fertur et ipse nonnulla opuscula, de quibus nihil hactenus vidi præter quandam prophetiam de Summis Pontificibus, quæ quia brevis et nondum quod sciam excusa et a multis desiderata hic a me apposita est.

"Prophetia S. Malachiæ, Archiepiscopi de Summis Pontificibus.

Ex castro Tiberis. | Cœlestinus II. | Typhernas.

Inimicus expulsus. | Lucius II. | De familia Caccianemica.

Ex magnitudine montis. | Eugenius III. | Patria Ethruscus oppido montis magni.

Abbas Suburranus. | Anastasius IV. | De familia Suburra.

De rure albo. | Adrianus IV. | Vilis natus in oppido S. Albani,

Ex tetro carcere. | Victor IV. | Fuit Card. S. Nicolai in carcere Tulliano.

Via transtibertina. | Callistus III. | Guido Cremensis Card. S. Mariæ Transtiberim.

De Pannonia Thusciæ. | Paschalis III. | Antipapa, Hungarus natione Episc. Card. Tusculanus.

Ex ansere custode. | Alexander III. | De familia Paparona.

Lux in ostio. | Lucius III. | Lucensis, Card. Ostiensis.

Sus in cribro. | Urbanus III. | Mediolanensis, familia Cribella quæ suem pro armis gesset.

Ensis Laurentii. | Gregorius VIII. | Card. S. Laurentii in Lucina cujus insignia enses falcati.

De schola exiet. | Clemens III. | Romanus Domo Scholari.

De rure Bovensi. | Cœlestinus III. | Familia Bovensi.

Comes signatus. | Innocentius III. | Familia comitum Signiæ.

Canonicus de Latere. | Honorius III. | Familia Sabella, Canonicus S. Joannis Lateraneris [sic.]

Avis Ostiensis. | Gregorius IX. | Familia comitum Signiæ Episcopus Cardinalis Ostiensis.

Leo Sabinus. | Cœlestinus IV. | Mediolanensis, cujus insignia leo, episcopus Card. Sabinus.

Comes Laurentius. | Innocentius IV. | In domo flixa, comes Lavaniæ, Card. S. Laurentii in Lucina.

Signum Ostiense. | Alexander IV. | De comitibus Signiæ Episcopus Card. Ostiensis.

Hierusalem Campaniæ. | Urbanus IV. | Gallus, Tricensis in Campania Patriarcha in Hierusalem.

Draco depressus. | Clemens IV | Cujus insignia aquilla ungibus draconem tenens.

Anguinus [sic.] vir. | Gregorius X. | Mediolanensis familia vicecomitum quæ anguem pro insigni gessit.

Concionator Gallus. | Innocentius V. | Gallus, ordine Predicatorum.

Bonus Comes. | Adrianus V. | Ottobonus familia flisca ex comitibus Lavaniæ.

Piscator Thuscus. | Joannes XXI. | Antea Joannes Petrus episcopus Card. Tusculanus.

Rosa composita. | Nicolaus III. | Quæ rosam in insigni gessit, dictus compositus.

Ex telonio Liliacei Martini. | Martinus IV. | Cujus insignia lilia, Canonicus et Thesaurarius S. Martini Turonensis.

Ex rosa leonina. | Honorius IV. | Familia Savella, insignia rosa a Leonibus gestata.

Picus inter escas. | Nicolaus IV. | Picenus patria Esculanus.

Ex eremo celsus | Cœlestius V. | Vocatus Petrus de Morone, eremita.

Ex undarum benedictione, | Bonifacius VIII. | Vocatus prius Benedictus Caetanus cujus insignia undæ.

Concionator Patereus. | Benedictus XI. | Qui vocabatur frater Nicolaus ordinis Prædicatorum.

De fessis Aquitanicis. | Clemens V. | Natione aquitanicis cujus insignia fessæ erant.

De sutore Osseo. | Joannes XXII. | Gallus, familia Ossa sutoris filius.

Corvus schismaticus. | Nicolaus V. | Qui vocabatur F. Petrus de Corbario contra Joannem XXII., antipapa minorita.

Frigidus abbas. | Benedictus XII. | Abbas monasterii fontis frigidi.

De Rosa Attrebatensi. | Clemens VI. | Episcopus Attrebatensis cujus insignia rosæ.

De montibus Pammachii. | Innocentius VI. | Card. S. Joan. et Pauli titulo Pammachii cujus insignia sex montes erant.

Gallus vicecomes. | Urbanus V. | Nuntius apostolicus ad vicecomites Mediolanenses.

Novus de Virgine forti. | Gregorius XI. | Qui vocabatur Petrus Belfortis Card. S Mariæ Novæ.

De cruce apostolica. | Clemens VII. | Qui fuit presbyter Card. SS. XII. Apostolorum cujus insignia crux.

Luna cosmedina. | Benedictus XIII. | Antea Petrus de Luna Diac. Card. S. Mariæ in cosmedina.

Schisma Barchinonium. | Clemens VIII. | Antipapa qui fuit Canonicus Barchinonensis.

De inferno Prægnati (?) (Evidently a misprint for "Prægnani.") | Urbanus VI. | Neapolitanus Prægnanus natus in loco qui dicitur infernus.

Cubus de mixtione. | Bonifacius IX. | Familia Tomicella a Genua Liguriæ orta cujus insignia cubi.

De meliore sydere. | Innocentius VII. | Vocatus Cosmatis de Melioratis Sulmonensis cujus insignia Sydus.

Nauta de Ponte nigro. | Gregorius XII. | Venetus Commendatarius Ecclesiæ Nigropontis.

Falgellum solis. | Alexander V. | Græcus, archiepiscopus Mediolanensis insignia sol.

Cervus Sirenæ. | Joannes XXIII. | Diac. Card. S. Eustachii qui sum servo dipingitur Bononiæ legatus Neapolitanus.

Columna Veli Aurei (Wion has corona in place of columna, but it is evidently a misprint.) | Martinus V. | Familia Colonna diaconus Card. S. Georgii ad velum aureum.

Lupa cœlestina. | Eugenius IV. | Antea regularis Cœlestinus et episcopus Senensis.

Amator crucis. | Felix V. | Qui vocabatur Amadeus dux Sabaudiæ insignia crux.

De modicitate Lunæ. | Nicolaus V. | Lunensis de Sarzana humilibus parentibus natus.

Bos pascens. | Callistus II. | Hispanus cujus insignia bos pascens.

De capra et alberga. | Pius II. | Senensis qui fuit a secretis cardinalibus Capranico et Albergo.

De cervo et Leone. | Paulus II. | Venetus qui fuit commendatarius Ecclesiæ Cerviensis et Card. tituli S. Marci.

Piscator minorita. | Sixtus IV. | Piscatoris filius, Franciscanus.

Præcursor Siciliæ. | Innoc. VIII. | Qui vocabatur Joannis Baptista et vixit in curia Alphonsi regis Siciliæ.

Bos Albanus in Portu. | Alexander VI. | Episcopus Card. Albanus et Portuensis cujus insignia bos.

De Parvo homine. | Pius III. | Senensis, familia Piccolominea.

Fructus Jovis juvabit. | Julius II. | Ligur, cujus insignia Quercus Jovis aroor.

De craticula Politiana. | Leo X. | Filius Laurentii Medicei et scholaris Angeli Politiani.

Leo Florentius. | Adrianus VI. | Florentii filius cujus insignia leo.

Flos Pilei Ægri. | Clemens VII. | De domo Medicea, ejus insignia pila et lilia.

Hiacinthus medicorum. | Paulus III. | Farnesius, qui lilia pro insignibus gestat et Cardinalis fuit SS. Cosmæ et Damiani.

De corona Montana. | Julius III. | Antea vocatus Joannis Maria de Monte.

Frumentum floccidum. | Marcellus II. | Cujus insignia cervus et frumentum ideo floccidum quod pauco tempore vixit in Papatu.

De fide Patri. | Paulus IV. | Antea vocatus Joannes Petrus Caraffa.

Esculapii Pharmacum. | Pius IV. | Antea dictus Joannes Angelus Medices.

Angelus nomorosus. | Pius V. | Michael vocatus, natus in oppido Boschi.

Medium corpus pilarum. | Gregorius XIII. | Cujus insignia medius, draco, Cardinalis creatus a Pio IV. qui pila in armis gestabat.

Axis in medietate signi. | Sixtus V. | Qui axem in medio Leonis in armis gestat.

De rore cœli. | Urbanus VII. | Qui fuit archiepiscopus Rossanensis in Calabria ubi manna colligitur.

Ex antiquitate urbis. | Gregorius XIV.

Pia civitas in bello. | Innocentius IX.

Crux Romulea. | Clemens VIII.

Undosus vir. | Columna excelsa. | Pastor et nauta.

Gens perversa. | Animal rurale. | Flos florum.

In tribulatione pacis. | Rosa umbriæ. | De medietate lunæ.

Lilium et rosa. | Ursus Velox. | De labore solis.

Jucunditas crucis. | Peregrinus apostolicus. | Gloria olivæ.

Montium custos. | Aquila rapax.

Sydus olorum. | Canis et coluber. | In persecutione extrema S. R. E. sedebit Petrus Romanus qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus, quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur et judex tremendus judicabit populum. Finis.

De flumine magno. | Vir religiosus.

Bellua insatiabilis. | De balneis Ethruriæ.

Pœnitentia gloriosa. | Crux de cruce.

Rastrum in porta. | Lumen in cœlo.

Flores circumdati. | Ignis ardens.

De bona religione. | Religio depopulata.

Miles in bello. | Fides intrepida.

Pastor angelicus.

Quæ ad Pontifices adjecta non sunt ipsius Malachiæ sed R. P. F. Alphonsi Giaconis Ord. Prædicatorum hujus prophetiæ interpretis.

Alphonsus Ciacconius was born at Baeza, in the kingdom of Granada, in 1540. He became a Dominican, and professed Holy Scripture at the convent of St. Thomas, Seville. He subsequently went to Rome, and was appointed Apostolic Penitentiary by Gregory XIII. The assertion that he became Patriarch of Alexandria has been questioned by modern writers. Andrew Schott is wrong in giving the date of his death as 1590. De Thou says Ciacconius died on the 14th February, 1599. There are several works of Ciacconius mentioned, but the most remarkable is the one entitled "Vitæ et res gestæ Romanorum Pontificum et Cardinalium," which was printed in 1601. This work was re-edited, in 1630, by a body of learned ecclesiastics, among whom was the famous Irish Franciscan, Luke Wadding. Another edition, giving a continuation of the popes, &c., was printed in 1677. Ciacconius's work resembles Panvinius's. He gives what he calls the pope's effigies, or likeness, his arms, and then a short sketch of his life. He gives the arms of certain popes where Panvinius does not give them, and he is careful to make a distinction between popes and antipopes. Notwithstanding Wion's assertion, it is hard to believe that Ciacconius was the interpreter of the Prophecies. Any person with Panvinius's work could have easily explained the legends from Panvinius's time backwards. Ciacconius's History of the Popes and Cardinals gives us generally a clue to the interpretation of the prophecy up to his own time, but we need not be astonished at this, for we may naturally expect that the prophecy would chime in with facts. However, from the fact of the supposed Ciacconian interpretation, as published by Wion, being at variance with certain assertions in the Vitæ et res gesta R. Pont. et Card., there is, am afraid, every reason to doubt that Ciacconius has had anything to do with it. Ciacconius, in the Isagoge, or introduction to the work already spoken of, bitterly complains of the errors in Panvinius's book. Now, if Ciacconius was the interpreter of the prophecies, as Wion asserts, Ciacconius must be pitching into himself, for we find reproduced in Wion's book the errors of which he complains. Who then is the interpreter? Is it Panvinius? or may not the prophecy as well as the explanation have come from the same hand? May not Wion have been merely duped (which could have been easily done considering his character); and may he not in good faith have given the prophecy as that of the great St. Malachy? We cannot give these questions due consideration until we have thoroughly examined the prophecy itself. In order to do so we must take up the legends one by one. Several interpretations of the prophecies have been published. Moréri and Engelgrave, who flourished in the seventeenth century, give the prophecies and an explanation of them down to their own times. The Abbé Cucherat of Paray-le-Monial continues the explanation down to our day. There are other interpreters of them, but I shall merely mention their names as occasion requires. For those who do not believe in the prophecy, the question regarding the legends after Wion's time will be not so much what the conventional explanation is as what the forger of them really had in his mind.

I. Ex castro Tiberis (from a castle on the Tiber). Celestine II. (1143–1144).

He was born in a castle on the Tiber. Such is Moréri's simple explanation. This pope's original name was Guido de Castello. Wion's interpreter only says Typhernas. Panvinius in his Epitome uses the same word. Typhernas means a native of Citta di Castello, formerly called Tifernum-Tiberinum.

This pope studied under the famous Peter Abelard. His reign was short and uneventful.

II. Inimicus expulsus (the enemy driven out). Lucius II. 1144–1145).

The explanation is easy. He belonged to the Caccianimici family. Cacciare in Italian means "to drive out," and nemici "the enemies;" hence inimicus expulsus. This pope's reign was a short but troubled one.

III. Ex magnitudine montis (from the great mountain). Eugene III. (1145–1153).