Pope Francis’ sudden death has thrown the spotlight back on a 900-year-old prophetic manuscript. The 12th-century ‘Prophecy of the Popes’ — reportedly uncovered in the Vatican’s secret archives — claims to predict the identity of Francis’ successor and even foretells the return of Christ. The document contains a series of cryptic Latin phrases, each believed to describe a pope, starting with Celestine II in 1143 and ending with ‘Peter the Roman’ in 2027. Fanning the flames is the eerie fact that there are currently nine frontrunners to succeed Pope Francis — and three of them are named Peter. The renewed interest has also reignited fears about one of the prophecy’s more chilling predictions: that Judgment Day is near. Many Christians believe the year 2027 could mark the Second Coming of Christ, when Jesus is said to return to Earth to judge the living and the dead. According to the prophecy, that fateful day is now less than two years away. Francis, who had been battling respiratory issues for months, died Monday at age 88 of a suspected cerebral hemorrhage — a type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain. After a traditional nine-day mourning period, the Catholic Church will begin the
