244    The Bible and the Future of the World 

Pontificate will see the beginning of the events described in the Book of 

Revelation, especially the beginning of World War III (which is the first of 

the seven seals and the first of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse). But the 

events described in that last book of the Bible unfold over many years and 

the sufferings of Revelation do not reach completion until the mid 25th 

century. There will be many more Popes between Peter the Roman and the 

Return of Christ in A.D. 2437. 

The seven hilled city is the city of Rome, which not only has seven hills, but 

also is divided into seven Roman Catholic dioceses. St. Malachy is 

predicting that the city of Rome will be destroyed during the Pontificate of 

the Pope called Peter the Roman. My own interpretation of the Bible places 

the destruction of Rome and Vatican City in July of A.D. 2013. [8] 

    The prediction of Saint Malachy that Rome will be destroyed has a dual 

meaning. It refers to the destruction of Rome and Vatican City during 

World War III, at the beginning of the lesser tribulation, and it refers to the 

destruction of Rome and the seat of authority in the Church at the beginning 

of the greater tribulation (about the year A.D. 2430, just prior to the start of 

the Antichrist's reign). That is why his prophecy says that God will judge 

the people, because both times that Rome is destroyed occur prior to the 

tribulation (which is divided into two parts), in which God judges and 

punishes the world. 

Peter the Roman is also mentioned in Sacred Scripture. He will die a martyr, 

blind, in a prison in Iraq. 

      `And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his 

shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth; he shall dig through the wall and go 

out through it.... And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in 

my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans, yet 

he shall not see it; and he shall die there.'   (Ezekiel 12:12.13). 

      So the city was besieged.... Then a breach was made in the city; the king 

with all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two 

walls, by the king's garden, though the Chaldeans were around the city.... 

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook him.... Then 

they captured the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, 

who passed sentence upon him. They slew the sons of Zedekiah before his 

eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and took 

him to Babylon.  (2 Kings 25:2.4 7). 

    During the war of the Arabs against Europe (World War III), the Arab 

forces will attack Italy and Rome. At that time, in the year 2012, the Pope