Malachy was an Irish monk, who, on a visit to Rome was said to have had a vision of all the future popes. He catalogued each one with a descriptive Latin phrase and reportedly entrusted it to Pope Innocent II in 1140. There was little, if any, mention of the prophecies for the next 400 years. In 1590, a Benedictine monk “discovered” them and published them five years later. The reason that Malachy’s prophecies have re-flourished is that proponents claim Malachy indicated that the current Pontiff, Benedict XVI is the “next to last pope”. Adherents say the next pope will be known as Peter the Roman and his reign will end in massive tribulation.