Re: pope
 

:eek: Naughty slinky :o lol.

Re: pope
 

The death of the current incumbent in the Vatican will be followed by the election of two more popes, the last of which will usher in the end of the world. Though as you will be able to see from reading the linked article, prophecy is not an exact science.

http://www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp

Re: pope
 

Will money shoot out of the cash machines when the world ends this time! l spent a very miserable millenium eve in south London with a roll of black bin bags, onl to return home sober, still poor & still living.

Re: pope
 

I've never really understood the logic of someone wanting loads of money if the world is coming to an end. Where were you going to spend it garinda? :D

Now somewhere I have a book which belonged to my late husband, entitled "The Last Pope" ...... maybe I should have a read of that.

On the subject of prophecy not being an exact science, didn't Old Mother Shipton say the world would end in 1984?

Re: pope
 

Interestingly it was reported a couple of weeks ago, when the Pope was last in hospital, that news media companies have been feverishly buying up properties in Rome that overlook St Peter's so that they can have vantage points for the televising of the funerary exequies of the current Pope and the election and coronation of his successor.

I now have little time for the religion I was brought up in, but I still take an interest in it's proceedings. As I think I mentioned in earlier threads, I quite like the theatrical aspect of it all.

The current speculation on the health of the Pope puts me in mind of that surrounding the last few weeks of the Queen Mother's life. It is a little distasteful. However distressing it may be for us to witness the decline in his health, and I agree he looked very poorly on television last evening, he may yet surprise us all. In any case, I am sure that, like the Queen, he will endeavor to carry out his duties to the very best of his abilities for as long as is humanly possible. He is a very courageous and determined man. Though I cannot agree with all that he has said and done during his Pontificate, I think that the world will be the poorer for his passing.

Re: pope
 

Thinking back to an earlier comment about him wanting to continue for as long as possible I wonder if he feels it his duty to defer the end of the world as long as he can in the light of those prophecies?

According to the news this morning he is "serene" but the hospital said they can't yet guarantee a full recovery.

Re: pope
 

Like others l was shocked to see him on the news still doing his job when l'd want to be in bed if l was him. l suppose he understood when he got the top job that was part of his duties. Still amazes me that this is the man who advized catholics they can wear condoms as long as there's a hole in it, in regard to Aids prevention.
P.S. didn't really spend millenium eve with binbags, though l did feel a bit rubbish the next day!

Re: pope
 

The other interesting point concerning the Pope is his closeness to Sr. Lucia who died last week aged 97. Who is she? I hear you ask. She was the last surviving member of the three children who were granted a series of visions of the Mother of God at Fatima in Portugal during the First World War (1917?) The children were given three secrets which, the vision instructed, were to be given to the Pope. The first secret revealed the end of the war. the second was the rise of communism, but the third has never been revealed. It is commonly thought to reveal the manner and timing of the end of the world. Asked about the Third Secret of Fatima, the present Pope replied in very guarded terms, asking what good would it do to panic people. However during his Pontificate the Pope has maintained very close links with Fatima and with Sr. Lucia, unusually close, some might say.

Re: pope
 

Don't know anythig about Sr. Lucia but in 1917 the end of the war could be said to be in sight, even though there were still lots of battles, & the Russian revolution was just starting. Perhaps they were just very intuative kids?
Children say the darndest things.....

Re: pope
 

I must admit that I'm intrigued by things like this ---- end of the world prophecies and such like. A few weeks ago we saw a man wandering round Blackburn wearing those boards proclaiming "The End of The World is Nigh". Hadn't seen one of those for ages.

Having said that, it's also probably a bit pointless trying to speculate because the Bible itself says "of that day and hour no man knoweth, only my Father which is in Heaven"

Doesn't stop me wanting to have a delve into it all though.

Re: pope
 

l think most phrophesis were shown up to be mumbo jumbo when the millenium past off peacefully. l remember they said Nostradamus also predicted the end of the world then. The only shocking thing that happened was the Queen doesn't know to cross your hands when you do Old Ang Sine.

Re: pope
 

I must correct myself here, the third secret is available from the Vatican.

here: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/co...fatima_en.html

It is a lengthy read, but interesting.

Re: pope
 

Just read the text, thanks for that. Bit dissapointing regarding the third secret though wasn't it?
l think there were special mushrooms growing in Fatima in 1917.

Re: pope
 

What do you mean "disappointing"? What were you expecting, direction by Steven Spielburg, full glorious technicolour and a cast of billions?.:D

Re: pope
 

You must admit after nearly a century of trailers the main feature was a bit of a let down. They admitted that themselves. Reading it made me thankful not to be religous, l only worshop the ground l walk on.