Doomsayers Say Benedict Fits World End Prophecy - Yahoo! News: "St. Malachy was said to have had a vision during a trip to Rome around 1139 of the remaining 112 Popes. The new pope would be number 111 on that list, and is described in a text attributed to St. Malachy as the 'Glory of the Olive.'
To connect Benedict, a pale, bookish German, to anything olive takes some imagination. But Malachy-watchers point to the choice of the name Benedict -- an allusion to the Order of Saint Benedict, a branch of which is known as the Olivetans.
'When (he) chose the name Benedict XVI, this was seen as fulfilling the prophecy for this pope,' wrote one entry on www.wikipedia.org.
Benedict said that he chose the name partly in honor of Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922), calling him a 'courageous prophet of peace.' On Wednesday, Benedict dedicated his papacy to 'the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples.'
'Perhaps Benedict XVI will be a peacemaker in the Church or in the world, and thus carry the olive branch,' speculated www.catholic-pages.com.
Another site, www.bibleprobe.com, went even further, showing a picture of Benedict holding olive branches in March during Palm Sunday celebrations.
'Is this the Pope of Peace (olive)?' it asked in the caption.
Critics widely dismiss the Malachy prophecy as a forgery and possible propaganda meant to influence a 16th century conclave. Doses of skepticism even appear on the most energetic Malachy web pages.
But believers point out similarities between the prophecy's descriptions and past pontificates.
Pope John Paul II, number 110, was described in the prophecy as 'de labore solis' -- or 'of the labor of the sun.'
He was born on May 18, 1920, the same day as a solar eclipse. The pontiff was buried on April 8, 2005 -- the same day as a partial eclipse, visible in the Americas.
More pressing for doomsayers are the prophecy's references to the "=-=-=-=----=-=-=--=--=-=-=-
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