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Pope Leo's name sparks concerning conspiracy theory amid claims ancient prophecy is a terrifying warning for mankind

Home> News> Politics

Updated 16:21 9 May 2025 GMT+1Published 16:19 9 May 2025 GMT+1

Pope Leo's name sparks concerning conspiracy theory amid claims ancient prophecy is a terrifying warning for mankind

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV has been connected to an old prophecy that doesn't look good for humanity

Mia Williams

Mia Williams

Featured Image Credit: TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

Topics: Pope Francis, Pope Leo, TikTok

Mia Williams
Mia Williams

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While Catholics around the world rejoice after the election of Pope Leo XIV, conspiracy theorists have warned that it may be bad news for mankind.

It was announced just yesterday (8 May) that Robert Francis Prevost is the new head of the Catholic Church, and will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

It seems that deliberations in Vatican City took less time than usual, with it taking just two days for the college of cardinals to choose their next leader.

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And while the sight of the white smoke drifting from the Sistine Chapel should be a moment for catholics, conspiracy theorists have suggested that it may not be the time for celebrations.

A resurfaced 100-year-old prophecy suggests that the 69-year-old pope may be the last to ever take on the enormous role.

The text was written in the 1100s by a man named Saint Malachy, and it was titled 'Prophecy of the Popes'.

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He predicted that there would be a further 112 popes after his lifetime, and named each of them.

A content creator on TikTok who read the prophecy suggested that Malachy noted the last pope would lead the world through a time of 'fire, tribulation, and destruction'.

It was suggested that the last pope would see the world during 'fire and destruction' (Getty Stock Images)
It was suggested that the last pope would see the world during 'fire and destruction' (Getty Stock Images)

According to the user, the prophecy also mentioned 'Leo the lion', which of course feels slightly eerie.

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He went onto say: "Revelations talks about a beast that appears that looks like a lion, but talks like a dragon."

The last name on Malachy's list of popes is a man named 'Peter the Roman', who is serving as the Bishop of Rome when the world ends.

Of course, the newly-elected pope is not a Peter, so it's not difficult to break the conspiracy theory.

The text also gets his nationality wrong, as Pope Leo XIV holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, not Italian, as the prophecy suggests.

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People have bashed the conspiracy theory, after stating the last pope is supposed to be a 'Peter' (TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
People have bashed the conspiracy theory, after stating the last pope is supposed to be a 'Peter' (TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Others in previous times have suggested that the late Pope Francis was 'Peter the Roman', but that doesn't make much sense either.

Josh Canning, director of Toronto's Chaplaincy at the Newman Centre, said in 2013, via Global News: "I don't know how you can connect Peter the Roman with Pope Francis."

Of course, we think the new pope has a couple of more pressing issues to be dealing with at the moment, rather than what a prophecy predicted about a guy named Peter over a hundred years ago.

  • People only just realising what Pope Francis’ real name was as Pope Leo is elected
  • Why the new American Pope has chosen the name Leo
  • Unexpected conclave guest sparks bizarre 'spy' conspiracy theory
  • Nostradamus made eerie prophecy about new pope after appearing to make prediction about Pope Francis’ death

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