Pope Leo XIV’s election on May 8, 2025—when Cardinal Robert Prevost became the first American pope—has brought both jubilation and unease to Catholics worldwide.
The stir is tied to a centuries-old prophecy by 12th-century mystic Saint Malachy, which foresees 112 popes ending with a “Peter the Roman.” Some fringe theorists now suggest Leo could be that final pontiff.
Scholars like Fr. James Weiss of Boston College dismiss Malachy’s list as a likely forgery, pointing out that its mottos are too vague and often miss their mark.
Historians such as Joëlle Rollo-Koster note there’s no real evidence Saint Malachy wrote these prophecies. For now, Leo’s Peruvian-American heritage and papal agenda, not prophecy, will shape his tenure.
