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The idea of there being a 鈥渂lack pope鈥� in the end times does not come from the Bible but from various interpretations of the writings of sixteenth-century French astrologer Nostradamus. Even then, the term black pope is never found in Nostradamus. Nostradamus often wrote of 鈥渢he black one鈥� (e.g., III:60; IV:47, 85; V:29; VI:81; VII:5), but the passages are typically obscure, with no real connection to the papacy. The concept of a 鈥渂lack pope鈥� must be inferred by those skilled at conjecture.

The 鈥渂lack pope鈥� is so called because of the nature of the man: his dark deeds are fearsome and destructive. Here are some of the 鈥減rophecies鈥� of Nostradamus that are used to promote the idea of a 鈥渂lack pope鈥�:

Sometimes, the cryptic messages of Nostradamus are paired with the equally obscure writings of St. Malachy, a twelfth-century Irish archbishop. In approximately AD 1139, Malachy supposedly received a vision that revealed to him a line of 112 more popes. Interestingly, the most recent pope, Francis I, was pope number 112 after Malachy鈥檚 vision (although the count of popes varies somewhat). Some saw a connection between Pope Francis I and the 鈥渂lack pope鈥� of Nostradamus because Francis was the first Jesuit to be pope, and the head of that order is traditionally known as the 鈥淏lack Pope鈥� due to his black garb and his power and influence within the order. So, was Pope Francis I, the 112th pope, the last pontiff? Was he the black pope? Should we expect the tribulation to commence immediately?

Biblically speaking, there is no connection between a 鈥渂lack pope鈥� and the end times. The Bible never mentions the papacy. The idea of a supreme leader over the entire Christian church is not found in the Bible. Revelation 17:9 could be a prophecy about the city of Rome, as Rome is the 鈥淐ity of Seven Hills.鈥� Some interpret the 鈥淏abylon鈥� of Revelation 17 as Rome and the 鈥�prostitute鈥� who rides the beast as the Roman Catholic Church. That interpretation leads some to believe that in the end times the Roman Catholic Church, led by the apostate black pope, will welcome the coming of the Antichrist. But, again, the Bible does not say anything about popes in general or an end-times pope in particular.

A question related to the idea of a black pope regards the meaning of the word black. Some believe Nostradamus鈥檚 mentions of 鈥渢he black one鈥� refer to an evil nature—the last pope will be an evil pope. Others believe that black refers to skin color; thus, someone of African descent will be elected pope. Whatever the case, even if someone of black or African descent is elected pope, it has no bearing on the end times. Instead of spending time on medieval visions and modern conspiracy theories, our focus should be on what the Bible says about the signs of the end times.