St Malachy's prophecy

The news is out - Pope John Paul II passed away aged 84. Next, the cardinals would have an election and the next pope gets to be the head of the Roman Catholics. Normal stuff, you might think. But not according to St Malachy, who in the mid 12th century received a prophecy, and he listed down all the names (coded, of course) of the popes who would emerge, right from the next pope of his time, right until the end of the world. The prophecy was sealed in the Vatican archives and emerged in the 16th century.

And on that list, Pope John Paul II is the third last pope named.

So, if Malachy's prophecy is real, there would be only two more - one named as 'gloria olivae', and the other is described as follows:

In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis ciuitas septicollis diruetur, & Iudex tremêdus iudicabit populum suum. Finis.(In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.)

How true is it? Some people believe that it will play out as it is; some say that there might be a long interim between 'gloria olivae' and 'Peter the Roman'; some people believe the medieval Jesuits added the Peter the Roman bit, et cetera. Of course, not to neglect those who think that the whole thing, and religions themselves, are a scam, too.

But it certainly isn't very far from the general belief of the Christians that our world is reaching its end.

To be taken with a pinch of salt, any one?

Further reading: http://www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp
http://www.jpdawson.com/lastpope.html