Quotes From Saints And Popes On The Antichrist, The Abomination Of Desolation And The Apocalypse

This is a follow-up to our previous post in E-Exchanges, in which we explained why we think that we have been living through the reign of the Antichrist. Paul VI’s abolition of the Sacrifice, for which he substituted the abominable New Mass (which we believe to be the abomination of desolation), combined with John Paul II’s jaw-dropping and specific preaching of the doctrine of Antichrist, all lend credence to our position on this issue. In our view, we are clearly living through the fulfillment of what Our Lady of La Salette prophesied – “Rome will lose the faith and become the Seat of the Antichrist” – not leading up to it as if it hasn’t occurred.

However, we’ve pointed out that this is our opinion and that Catholics could of course disagree. Nevertheless, some people are so adamant about their opinion on this issue – and so vigorously opposed to our view – that they not only wrongly claim that our view is demonstrably wrong; but they maintain that an error on this matter (if we made such an error) would somehow undermine our credibility. These bad-willed individuals are obviously ignorant of the following facts.

ST. ATHANASIUS SAID THAT THE EMPEROR CONSTANTIUS WAS “THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION”

The great St. Athanasius stated that the Emperor Constantius (who has now been dead for over 1600 years) was the “abomination of desolation.” The abomination of desolation is one of the primary signs of the end times. The “abomination of desolation” is mentioned both by the prophet Daniel and by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:15). It will appear on Earth at the time of the Antichrist.

St. Athanasius said Emperor Constantius was the abomination of desolation: “From the security of his desert he [St. Athanasius] wrote about [Emperor] Constantius: ‘who that beheld him as chorus leader of his pretended bishops, and presiding in ecclesiastical causes, would not justly exclaim that this was the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel?’” (Leo Donald Davis, The First Seven Ecumenical Councils, p. 94.)

POPE PAUL III CALLED HENRY VIII “THE SON OF PERDITION”

In a brief of January 9, 1543, Pope Paul III (who presided over certain sessions of the Council of Trent) declared that King Henry VIII (who has now been dead for almost 500 years) was the “the Son of Perdition” mentioned in 2 Thess. 2:4.

“[Pope] Paul III had already, on the 9^th of January 1543, addressed a brief to James V. by which he granted him a tax on the incomes of the Scottish Church for furtherance of the war against Henry, the ‘Son of Perdition.’” (Ludwig Pastor, History of the Popes, Vol. 12, p. 472.)

ST. BERNARD (MIRACLE-WORKER, SAINT AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH) PROCLAIMED ANTIPOPE ANACLETUS II “THE ANTICHRIST” AND THE “BEAST” OF THE APOCALYPSE

As the Catholic Encyclopedia article on “Antichrist” points out, St. Bernard (who died in 1153) believed that the Antichrist would be an antipope. During St. Bernard’s time an antipope named Anacletus II managed to displace the true pope, Innocent II. Anacletus reigned in Rome from 1130 to 1138. St. Bernard thought that Antipope Anacletus II, the man he was opposing at the time, was in fact the Antichrist and the Beast of the Apocalypse.

“His [St. Bernard’s] language was vehement, not to say violent: Anacletus is Antichrist; he is the Beast of prophecy…” (James Cotter Morison, The Life and Times of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, pp. 164-165)

“… a passage from St. Bernard, as if in reprobation of the Papacy, to the effect that ‘that beast of the Apocalypse, to whom is given a mouth speaking blasphemies, occupies the Chair of Peter, as a lion ready for the prey?’ whereas it turns out that St. Bernard is not speaking of the Pope, but of the Antipope…” (The British Critic and Quarterly Theological Review, by James Shergold Boone & John Henry Newman, London, 1840, p. 400).

ST. VINCENT FERRER PROCLAIMED HIMSELF TO BE THE “ANGEL OF JUDGMENT” OF APOCALYPSE 14:6-7

It’s well-known that St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) proclaimed himself to be the Angel of Apocalypse 14:6-7. The bull issued by Pope Pius II for the canonization of St. Vincent Ferrer specifically states that St. Vincent was indeed the Angel of the Apocalypse:

“In the countries of the West the number of Jews and infidels increased, who by their wealth and their culture of letters exercised a fatal influence. The Last Day, the terrible Day of Judgment, was almost forgotten, but Divine Providence was pleased to restore and beautify His Church by illustrious men. At a favorable moment He sent into the world, for the salvation of the faithful, Vincent of Valencia, of the Order of Friars Preachers, a skillful professor of sacred theology… Like a vigorous athlete, he rushed to combat the errors of the Jews, the Saracens and other infidels: he was the Angel of the Apocalypse, flying through the heavens to announce the day of the Last Judgment, to evangelize the inhabitants of the earth, to sow the seeds of salvation among all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, and to point out the way to eternal life.” (Fr. Andrew Pradel, St. Vincent Ferrer: The Angel of the Judgment, p. 51.)

St. Vincent Ferrer has now been dead for almost 600 years. In our article on Jurisdiction, we explain why St. Vincent’s proclamation about himself was actually true. His statement was true, even though many people who lack true wisdom and understanding have concluded that he must have been wrong because he died so long ago.

Here’s the point: with these facts in mind, we can see quite clearly why those bad-willed individuals who not only think that our opinion about the Antichrist is demonstrably false (which is not true), but additionally that an erroneous position on this matter (if we had one) would somehow impugn our credibility, are totally wrong and ignorant of this matter. Their position would require them to conclude that the aforementioned figures, including St. Athanasius, St. Bernard and others, were lacking in credibility and/or false prophets.