Both Saint Malachy and Nostradamus have made alarming predictions regarding the papacy

While millions of Catholics around the world continue to celebrate the election of a brand new pope, certain theologians reportedly fear that a 450-year-old prophecy is secretly looming over the religious festivities.

On 7 May, Rome’s College of Cardinals announced a swift conclusion to the latest conclave – which kicked off on Monday, and followed the passing of 88-year-old former leader Pope Francis on Easter Monday (21 April).

Although many spectators initially placed their bets on the likes of Pietro Parolin, Luis Antonio Tagle, Peter Erdö, Matteo Zuppi or Raymond Leo as Francis’ successor, American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as the election victor.

The 69-year-old from Chicago – who is largely considered a moderate when it comes to modern-day religious beliefs – is the first Pope to hail from the United States and will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

Before the announcement, however, questions were raised by many mystic believers regarding whether or not the identity of Francis’ future successor could align with an eerie prediction made centuries earlier.

In 1555, French astrologer Michel de Nostredame – known more commonly as Nostradamus – penned a book, Les Prophéties, in which he made a number of unnerving prophesies, one of which centred on the future of Catholicism.

As well as ‘cruel wars’, murderous diseases and natural disasters, the alleged psychic predicted the de-at:h of a ‘very old’ Pope – possibly referring to Pope Francis – followed by a general weakening of the Church.

“Through the d:eath of a very old Pontiff / A Roman of good age will be elected / Of him it will be said that he weakens his seat / But long will he sit and in mordant activity,” Nostradamus wrote.

Moving onto the ‘old’ pontiff’s successor, the Frenchman continued: “A young man of dark skin with the help of the great king will deliver the purse to another of red colour.”

Though the meanings of Nostradamus’ hundreds of prophesies are famously tricky to interpret, it’s largely believed that this particularly entry describes a shift when it comes to religious leadership.

The 16th century astrologer isn’t the only supposed mystic to have issued predictions related to the papacy.

In the 1500s, a war:ni:ng first issued by the Irish Saint Malachy – a 12th century Archbishop of Armagh – was documented in Prophecy of the Popes, a book written by the Benedictine monk Arnold Wion.

The text documents a trip the saint took to Rome 300 years earlier, during which he reportedly received a vision of the future, as well as the names of each Pope until the end of the world.

Wion recorded that Malachy had predicted Francis’ d:ea:th to ‘spark the day of judgement’.

“In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people,” Malachy reportedly warned. “The End.”

Although neither prophesy bodes well for the new Pope, theologians believe we should take both Nostradamus and Malachy’s warnings with a pretty hefty pinch of salt.