Q
What if anything does the new pope have to do with Bible prophecy?
A
The election of a new pope does not have any significance as far as Bible prophecy is concerned. The recent speculation about the papal election stems from St. Malachy’s Prophecy of the Popes. It’s a non-Biblical prophecy that has been unofficially handed down through the Catholic Church since the 12th Century. Catholic officials deny its validity.
It will be interesting to see if credible evidence emerges to identify Pope Francis as the final fulfillment of this prophecy which indicates that “Peter the Roman” would succeed Benedict and be the last pope before the Lord’s return.