The 111th Key

Why Pope Francis May Be the Final Gatekeeper in the Prophecy of the Popes

Photo by Coronel Gonorrea

The Prophecy of the Popes is a list of 112 short Latin phrases, attributed to St. Malachy, a 12th-century Irish bishop. Each phrase supposedly refers to a pope, starting with Celestine II (elected in 1143) and ending with a mysterious final pope, labelled as "Peter the Roman" (Petrus Romanus).

The prophecy was first published in 1595 by a Benedictine monk named Arnold de Wyon, over 400 years after Malachy died, which raises questions about its authenticity.

So… where does Pope Francis fall on the list?

Here’s the breakdown from Celestine II:

• Benedict XVI is generally considered 111: The prophecy calls him "Gloria Olivae", or "The Glory of the Olive".

• Pope Francis is therefore considered 112, linked to the final entry:

"In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus..."
Translation: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit Peter the Roman..."

Wait, but Pope Francis isn’t named Peter…

True! That’s why people debate whether the prophecy refers to him:

• Some interpretations suggest that the name “Peter the Roman” is symbolic, not literal, perhaps meaning a pope with humility, who brings the Church back to its roots. Pope Francis chose the name Francis (after Saint Francis of Assisi) and comes from a Jesuit order, known for humility.

• Others suggest the prophecy has already ended with Benedict XVI, and “Peter the Roman” is not part of the numbered list but a final epilogue.

• There’s also the theory that “Peter the Roman” could be a future pope after Francis, especially if there’s an anti-pope or schism, as the prophecy refers to “extreme persecution.”

Interpreting Pope Francis as the 111th Pope

Most versions of the Malachy list assign Benedict XVI to the 111th motto: "Gloria Olivae". However, since no specific name or motto is given for the 112th pope (only a longer narrative), some people interpret it as not part of the same structured list. This opens the door to a flexible re-interpretation, like this:

• 111th pope = Pope Francis

  • Interpreted under “Gloria Olivae” (or possibly even unlabelled).

  • Fits symbolically: a humble man from the “end of the world” (Argentina), connected to reform and mercy.

• 112th pope = Peter the Roman

  • Still to come.

  • Possibly the final pope during times of upheaval or great persecution.

Why would this interpretation make sense?

1. Prophetic ambiguity: The prophecy becomes more vague at the end, allowing for symbolic or spiritual readings rather than strict name-to-pope assignments.

2. Papal transitions: Some believe the list resets or shifts perspective with the resignation of Benedict XVI.

3. Peter the Roman as a distinct figure: The last entry isn’t numbered and reads more like a summary of the Church’s final era, suggesting it might not be part of the same list as the previous mottoes.

So yes, this reinterpretation is very plausible, and perhaps even more coherent in a world where Benedict XVI stepped down and Francis was elected under unusual circumstances.

If we take Pope Francis as the 111th pope, then Peter the Roman could still arrive in the future, possibly during a time of persecution, as the final line implies.

Now, if we look at the reduced gematria value of the full name of Pope Saint Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, it is 111. He has died on the 111th day of the year (112th on a leap year), on a calendar named after a Pope.

111 — Gloria Olivae (“The Glory of the Olive”)

Traditionally linked with Pope Benedict XVI, but here's how Pope Francis could be seen as fulfilling this:

🕊 Olive symbolism:

• Peace and mercy: The olive branch is a universal symbol of peace. Pope Francis has made mercy, peace, and dialogue central to his papacy.

• Franciscan link: Although not a Franciscan by order, he took the name Francis of Assisi, who was strongly associated with peace, humility, and care for creation, all connected to the olive's symbolic meaning.

• Mount of Olives: Biblically, it's a place of transformation and agony — themes deeply embedded in Francis' work as he calls out corruption and reforms the Church.

• Interfaith outreach: Olive trees are sacred in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Francis has taken unprecedented steps to build interfaith relationships — again, echoing “glory” through peace.

So under this lens, the “Glory of the Olive” is not military or hierarchical, it’s humble, universal, and restorative.

112 — Peter the Roman (“Petrus Romanus”)

The final line of the prophecy reads like an ominous close:

“In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit Peter the Roman, who will feed the flock amid many tribulations, after which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The end.”

This isn’t just a motto, it’s a prophetic conclusion, and some believe it’s symbolic rather than a literal pope with that name.

Archetypal reading:

• “Peter” = archetype of spiritual leadership
  The first pope was Peter. Naming the final pope “Peter” may not mean his literal name is Peter, but rather he embodies the qualities of the original apostle: suffering, sacrifice, and steadfastness during crisis.

• “Roman” = rooted in the institution
  A pope who represents the full weight of the Roman Catholic tradition, possibly bringing it to its closure or transformation.

• The Church in Tribulation
  Symbolically, it could refer to a transition period in the Church, or even in Christianity, perhaps where institutional forms dissolve to reveal something new.

• End of an era
  “The city of seven hills will be destroyed.” This is often seen symbolically too: not literal destruction, but the fall or transformation of Rome as the centre of spiritual authority.

So, among the possible scenarios:

• Pope Francis (111) is considered the transitional bridge: humble, reforming, focused on global inclusivity.

• The next pope (112) is "Peter the Roman," and could be:

  • A martyr-figure in a time of extreme global upheaval.

  • The last formal pope before some radical change or spiritual decentralisation.

  • Or, not an individual but an archetypal role manifesting in collective spiritual leadership.

Fatima and the Third Secret

The Marian apparitions at Fatima (1917) are widely known in Catholic prophecy, and the mysterious Third Secret of Fatima has been associated with the fall or suffering of the Church.

• Some interpret a "bishop in white" walking through a ruined city (described in the vision released by the Vatican in 2000) as a pope figure suffering amidst destruction, resonating strongly with the Peter the Roman vision.

• The idea of persecution of the Church, martyrdom, and a time of purification runs parallel to what the final line of Malachy’s prophecy describes.

• Some people believe that the Church did not fully reveal the full Third Secret, and that it may contain darker or more apocalyptic content, possibly aligning with this "end of era" pope.

Nostradamus

Nostradamus also references popes, upheaval, and Rome's fall in several quatrains.

Example:

"The great star will burn for seven days / The cloud will cause two suns to appear / The great mastiff will howl all night / When the great pontiff changes his abode."

This could be read (symbolically) as:

• A cosmic or celestial event (literal or spiritual),

• A major shift in Church authority,

• And possibly the departure or martyrdom of a pope.

Nostradamus often writes in veiled symbolism, but recurring themes include:

• Rome in crisis,

• A northern leader who brings renewal,

• Religious upheaval,

• A final leader arises in a time of global calamity.

Modern Mystic Insights

In contemporary spiritual and esoteric circles, there’s a rising sense that we’re in a transitional era from the Piscean Age to the Aquarian Age, and this is often mirrored in religious prophecy.

Themes from mystics like Edgar Cayce, Rudolf Steiner, and others:

• The collapse of rigid religious systems to make way for more direct, heart-based spirituality.

• The idea of a “Great Turning”, where power structures collapse and the “true Christ consciousness” or inner truth awakens in people.

• The Church, especially the Vatican, is seen as a holder of the outer forms, and Peter the Roman could be the last of those before something radically new arises.

Some even see Peter the Roman as not a person, but a principle, a symbolic final “keeper” of the old keys, passing them into collective hands.

Putting it all together:

The interpretation that Pope Francis stands at position 111 of the Prophecy of the Popes matches both symbolic characteristics of the Catholic Church and its historical evolution. This interpretation permits a flexible rather than inflexible enumeration of the final two pontiffs so readers can establish more significant meanings from their language. Through this framework, Peter the Roman may signify both a coming future pope and an archetype of transformation which guides the Church during tribulation times while witnessing spiritual closure followed by transformation into a new period.

Time will tell whether the next pope after Francis will count as the 112th, or if the prophecy truly ends with Pope Francis as its ultimate spiritual figure. The nature of Peter the Roman invites both literal and symbolic interpretations, leaving open the possibility that the next pope may serve more as a transitional figure than a continuation of the traditional papal hierarchy. Rather than foretelling a definitive end, the prophecy appears to signal a period of profound transformation: the passing of centralised authority into a new era of collective leadership. In this light, the emergence of the 144,000 “seeds of light,” as spoken of in the Book of Revelation, may mark the rise of a distributed, awakened body of souls carrying the next phase of divine mission on Earth.

Read this article for further details on the 144,000 seeds of light: