Great Catholic Monarch
Encyclopedia
The Great Catholic Monarch, also referred to as the Great Monarch, is a concept that has or had a certain place in unofficial Roman Catholic
eschatology
, mainly as a French monarchist variant of the medieval theme of the Last Roman Emperor
. It predicts that in the last times
, a last monarch would appear on earth to reestablish the kingdom of France
/Holy Roman Empire
and assume his function as biblical katechon
who stalls the coming of the antichrist
.
The notion of last Roman Emperor
is related to it, as is the notion of the Angelic Pope.
of a re-united Holy Roman Empire
, who will restore the European Catholic royalty in the West, destroy the power of heretics and atheistic rebels, and successfully convert many Muslim
s and Jews to the Roman Catholic faith.
The Great Monarch was very popular in popular folklore until the 18th century Enlightenment
. He reappeared in 19th century prophecy when French legitimists believed that the count of Chambord, Henry V of France would be the new king.
foundations for the concept of the Great Monarch are claimed to be found in the Old Testament
and in the New Testament
. References in the Old Testament can be found in Isaiah
, Jeremiah
, Daniel
and Zechariah
. It is also found in the New Testament. Catholic teaching refers to the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel in which Christ says that no one knows the hour or the day, except the Father in Heaven. The Church furthermore teaches that Christ indicated the approximation of these events in the New Testament
, when he spoke of signs which would indicate that the end of days was near. Some of these signs include natural disasters, civil problems, and other catastrophes. Of the precise time, however, it will come like a thief in the night.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II
on 15 August 1997 in the Apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere, speaks only of Christ as the king who is to be manifested in "the last days". It speaks of this manifestation as associated by his recognition by "all Israel" and preceded by the Church's ultimate trial, "a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh". It makes no mention whatever of the coming of any Great Catholic Monarch, whether French or German or of any continent whatever.
. We actually live in the sixth age of the world according to Saint Augustine.
Saint Remigius
, bishop of Reims and apostle of the Franks
, baptised
Clovis I
, king of the Franks on 24 December 496. This baptism, leading to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Nicene Christianity, was a momentous success for the Catholic Church and a seminal event in European history. He had had a vision and prophesied that in the distant future, the last monarch who descended from the line of the kings of France, would be revealed and reestablish the Holy Roman Empire
at the end of time. This prophecy was related through Hincmar, archbishop of Reims
, and Rabanus Maurus Magnentius O.S.B., archbishop of Mainz.
Similar prophecies were made by Saint Caesarius of Arles
, archbishop of Arles, by monks from the Carthusian monastery of Prémol, Chartreuse Notre-Dame de Prémol at Vaulnaveys-le-Haut
, France, by Saint Catald of Taranto, archbishop of Taranto, Italy
, and by Saint Angelus of Jerusalem. The prophecy of Saint Caesarius was commented upon by John of Vatiguerro and published in the Mirabilis Liber
(1524), and by French priest Jean-Marie Trichaud (1853). The prophecy of the Carthusian monks of Prémol was discovered between 1795 and 1850 and the prophecy of Saint Catald was discovered in 1492.
Bartholomew Holzhauser
, a German priest and visionary and writer of prophecies, details his coming further and states he will appear in the fifth age of the church in his book Interpretatio Apocalypsis usque ad cap. XV, v. 5. It discusses the seven ages of the Church:
According to Holzhauser, we actually live in the fifth age of the Church and are experiencing the transition to the sixth age. Holzhauser further explains his function in these events in his book Visiones, which contains the ten visions of Holzhauser:
Also Pierre cardinal d'Ailly
, bishop of Puy, Blessed Hildegard of Bingen
O.S.B. and Jérome Bottin O.S.B. made similar prophecies.
Modern day prophecies about the Great Monarch were made by Marie Julie Jahenny
, mystic and stigmatist of La Fraudais, France, and by Mélanie Calvat
and Maximin Giraud
, visionaries at La Salette
, France.
in his writings to the Great Monarch were based on these public sources.
and philosophy
concerned with the final events in the history of the world
, or the ultimate destiny
of humanity
, commonly referred to as the end of the world
.
While in mysticism
the phrase metaphorically refers to the end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine, in the Roman Catholic Church it is taught as an actual future event prophesied
in sacred texts or prophecies or apocalyptic literature
.
More broadly, it encompasses related concepts such as the Antichrist
, the return of Jesus
, the end times
, end of days and the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead
, the Last Judgment
, the renewal of creation, heaven
and hell
, the establishment of the kingdom of God
, and the consummation of all of God's purposes, the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy and the beginning of the Messianic Age
.
The term eschatology is often used in a more popular and narrower sense when comparing various interpretations of the Book of Revelation
and other prophet
ic parts of the Bible
, such as the Book of Daniel
and various sayings of Jesus in the Gospels, such as the Olivet discourse
and the Judgment of the Nations
, concerning the timing of what many Christians believe to be the imminent second coming of Christ.
In Roman Catholic dogmatic, mystical or folk traditions there are, in addition to doctrines and prophecies of the Bible, also traditional teachings, or writings of people granted gifts of prophecy or a special visitation by messengers from heaven, such as angel
s, saints, or Christ. The concept of the Great King features here prominently.
grand monarch and saint pape and the German
Weltkaiser and Engelpapst.
The Great Monarch is conceptually similarly to the Mahdi
of Islam in that:
Differences are the GCM defeats the Moslems who have invaded and occupy Europe in the future.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
eschatology
Eschatology
Eschatology is a part of theology, philosophy, and futurology concerned with what are believed to be the final events in history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world or the World to Come...
, mainly as a French monarchist variant of the medieval theme of the Last Roman Emperor
Last Roman Emperor
Last Roman Emperor or Last World Emperor is a figure of medieval European legend, which developed as an aspect of Christian eschatology. The legend predicts that in the end times, a last emperor would appear on earth to reestablish the Holy Roman Empire and assume his function as biblical katechon...
. It predicts that in the last times
End times
The end time, end times, or end of days is a time period described in the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
, a last monarch would appear on earth to reestablish the kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
/Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and assume his function as biblical katechon
Katechon
The Katechon is a biblical concept which has subsequently developed into a notion of political philosophy....
who stalls the coming of the antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
.
The notion of last Roman Emperor
Last Roman Emperor
Last Roman Emperor or Last World Emperor is a figure of medieval European legend, which developed as an aspect of Christian eschatology. The legend predicts that in the end times, a last emperor would appear on earth to reestablish the Holy Roman Empire and assume his function as biblical katechon...
is related to it, as is the notion of the Angelic Pope.
Basic descriptions
The Great Catholic Monarch also has a counter-revolutionary or restorationist character. He is said to be a future kingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of a re-united Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, who will restore the European Catholic royalty in the West, destroy the power of heretics and atheistic rebels, and successfully convert many Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Jews to the Roman Catholic faith.
The Great Monarch was very popular in popular folklore until the 18th century Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
. He reappeared in 19th century prophecy when French legitimists believed that the count of Chambord, Henry V of France would be the new king.
Biblical
The biblicalBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
foundations for the concept of the Great Monarch are claimed to be found in the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. References in the Old Testament can be found in Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
, Jeremiah
Book of Jeremiah
The Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve....
, Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
and Zechariah
Book of Zechariah
The Book of Zechariah is the penultimate book of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bible, attributed to the prophet Zechariah.-Historical context:...
. It is also found in the New Testament. Catholic teaching refers to the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel in which Christ says that no one knows the hour or the day, except the Father in Heaven. The Church furthermore teaches that Christ indicated the approximation of these events in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, when he spoke of signs which would indicate that the end of days was near. Some of these signs include natural disasters, civil problems, and other catastrophes. Of the precise time, however, it will come like a thief in the night.
Apostolic
Before the return of Christ, a number of conditions have to be fulfilled. They include:- The spreading of the "one true Catholic faithOne true faithThe concept of a one true faith, one true religion, or one true church, stem from the concept of the One True God asserted by believers in a monotheistic view of God...
" among all corners of the planet and among all people. - Recognition of Jesus-Christ as the MessiahMessiahA messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
and Son of GodSon of God"Son of God" is a phrase which according to most Christian denominations, Trinitarian in belief, refers to the relationship between Jesus and God, specifically as "God the Son"...
by all IsraelJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. - The Great ApostasyGreat ApostasyThe Great Apostasy is a term used by some religious groups to describe a general fallen state of traditional Christianity, especially the Papacy, because it allowed the traditional Roman mysteries and deities of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus and idol worship back into the church,...
that will shake the faith of many believers. This is a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the Catholic faith. This will be prepared gradually. The supreme form of this religious deception will be that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 15 August 1997 in the Apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere, speaks only of Christ as the king who is to be manifested in "the last days". It speaks of this manifestation as associated by his recognition by "all Israel" and preceded by the Church's ultimate trial, "a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh". It makes no mention whatever of the coming of any Great Catholic Monarch, whether French or German or of any continent whatever.
Prophetic
He will appear at the end of the sixth age of the world, according to Saint Augustine of Hippo's Six Ages of the WorldSix Ages of the World
The Six Ages of the World is a Christian historical periodization first written about by Saint Augustine circa 400 AD. It is based upon Christian religious events, from the creation of Adam to the events of Revelation...
. We actually live in the sixth age of the world according to Saint Augustine.
Saint Remigius
Saint Remigius
Saint Remigius, Remy or Remi, , was Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks, . On 24 December 496 he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks...
, bishop of Reims and apostle of the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
, baptised
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
Clovis I
Clovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
, king of the Franks on 24 December 496. This baptism, leading to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Nicene Christianity, was a momentous success for the Catholic Church and a seminal event in European history. He had had a vision and prophesied that in the distant future, the last monarch who descended from the line of the kings of France, would be revealed and reestablish the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
at the end of time. This prophecy was related through Hincmar, archbishop of Reims
Archbishop of Reims
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese around 250 by St. Sixtus, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese around 750...
, and Rabanus Maurus Magnentius O.S.B., archbishop of Mainz.
Similar prophecies were made by Saint Caesarius of Arles
Saint Caesarius of Arles
Saint Caesarius of Arles , sometimes called "of Chalon" from his birthplace Chalon-sur-Saône but more usually known as Caesarius of Arles from the see that he occupied as bishop for forty years, was the foremost ecclesiastic of his generation in Gaul...
, archbishop of Arles, by monks from the Carthusian monastery of Prémol, Chartreuse Notre-Dame de Prémol at Vaulnaveys-le-Haut
Vaulnaveys-le-Haut
Vaulnaveys-le-Haut is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, France, by Saint Catald of Taranto, archbishop of Taranto, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and by Saint Angelus of Jerusalem. The prophecy of Saint Caesarius was commented upon by John of Vatiguerro and published in the Mirabilis Liber
Mirabilis Liber
The Mirabilis liber is an anonymous and formerly very popular compilation of predictions by various Christian saints and divines that was published in France in 1522 The Mirabilis liber (Mirabilis liber qui prophetias revelationesque, necnon res mirandas, preteritas, presentes et futuras, aperte...
(1524), and by French priest Jean-Marie Trichaud (1853). The prophecy of the Carthusian monks of Prémol was discovered between 1795 and 1850 and the prophecy of Saint Catald was discovered in 1492.
Bartholomew Holzhauser
Bartholomew Holzhauser
Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser was a German priest, a founder of a religious community, and a visionary and writer of prophecies.-Early life:...
, a German priest and visionary and writer of prophecies, details his coming further and states he will appear in the fifth age of the church in his book Interpretatio Apocalypsis usque ad cap. XV, v. 5. It discusses the seven ages of the Church:
- the status seminativus or the first age of the Church, from Christ and the Apostles to Pope Linus and Emperor Nero,
- the status irrigativus or the second age of the Church, the days of persecution,
- the status illuminativus or the third age of the Church, from Pope Sylvester to Leo III,
- the status pacificus or the fourth age of the Church from Leo III to Leo X,
- the status afflictionis et purgativus or the fifth age of the Church, from Leo X to a strong ruler or grand monarch and a holy pope,
- the status consolationis of the sixth age of the Church, from that holy pope to the birth of Antichrist,
- the status desolationis are the seventh and last age of the Church, from the Antichrist to the end of the world.
According to Holzhauser, we actually live in the fifth age of the Church and are experiencing the transition to the sixth age. Holzhauser further explains his function in these events in his book Visiones, which contains the ten visions of Holzhauser:
- de septem animalibus
- de una monarchia et duabus sedibus
- de s. Michaele archangelo et sedibus
- de ecclesia sponsa Dei
- de propria persona Jesu
- de egressione Danubii
- de verme grandi
- de conversione Germaniæ
- exprobratio vitiorum, exprobratio impœnitentiæ, quomodo revertatur
- de duabus personis
Also Pierre cardinal d'Ailly
Pierre d'Ailly
Pierre d'Ailly was a French theologian, astrologer, and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church....
, bishop of Puy, Blessed Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen
Blessed Hildegard of Bingen , also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Elected a magistra by her fellow nuns in 1136, she founded the monasteries of Rupertsberg in 1150 and...
O.S.B. and Jérome Bottin O.S.B. made similar prophecies.
Modern day prophecies about the Great Monarch were made by Marie Julie Jahenny
Marie Julie Jahenny
Julie Marie Jahenny - French nun, mystic and stigmatist.-Life:She was born in a large peasant family, and later joined the Third Order of St. Francis...
, mystic and stigmatist of La Fraudais, France, and by Mélanie Calvat
Mélanie Calvat
Françoise Mélanie Calvat called Mathieu was a French Roman-catholic religious sister and Marian visionary. As a religious, she was called Sister Mary of the Cross....
and Maximin Giraud
Maximin Giraud
Pierre Maximin Giraud was a French member of the Corps of Papal Zouaves and Marian visionary.-Biography:...
, visionaries at La Salette
Our Lady of La Salette
La Salette is a small mountaintop village near Grenoble, France. It is most noted for an apparition of the Virgin Mary that was reported in 1846 by two shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, followed by numerous accounts of miraculous healings....
, France.
Profane
All references made by NostradamusNostradamus
Michel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555...
in his writings to the Great Monarch were based on these public sources.
Context
This is a part of theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
concerned with the final events in the history of the world
History of the world
The history of the world or human history is the history of humanity from the earliest times to the present, in all places on Earth, beginning with the Paleolithic Era. It excludes non-human natural history and geological history, except insofar as the natural world substantially affects human lives...
, or the ultimate destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
of humanity
World population
The world population is the total number of living humans on the planet Earth. As of today, it is estimated to be billion by the United States Census Bureau...
, commonly referred to as the end of the world
Eschatology
Eschatology is a part of theology, philosophy, and futurology concerned with what are believed to be the final events in history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world or the World to Come...
.
While in mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
the phrase metaphorically refers to the end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine, in the Roman Catholic Church it is taught as an actual future event prophesied
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
in sacred texts or prophecies or apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature is a genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians....
.
More broadly, it encompasses related concepts such as the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
, the return of Jesus
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
, the end times
End times
The end time, end times, or end of days is a time period described in the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
, end of days and the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead
Resurrection of the dead
Resurrection of the Dead is a belief found in a number of eschatologies, most commonly in Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Zoroastrian. In general, the phrase refers to a specific event in the future; multiple prophesies in the histories of these religions assert that the dead will be brought back to...
, the Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
, the renewal of creation, heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
and hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, the establishment of the kingdom of God
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
, and the consummation of all of God's purposes, the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy and the beginning of the Messianic Age
Messianic Age
Messianic Age is a theological term referring to a future time of universal peace and brotherhood on the earth, without crime, war and poverty. Many religions believe that there will be such an age; some refer to it as the "Kingdom of God" or the "World to Come".- Terminology: "messianic" and...
.
The term eschatology is often used in a more popular and narrower sense when comparing various interpretations of the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
and other prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
ic parts of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, such as the Book of Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
and various sayings of Jesus in the Gospels, such as the Olivet discourse
Olivet discourse
The Olivet discourse or Olivet prophecy is a biblical passage found in the Synoptic Gospels of Mark 13, Matthew 24, Luke 21. It is known as the "Little Apocalypse" because it includes Jesus' descriptions of the end times, the use of apocalyptic language, and Jesus' warning to his followers that...
and the Judgment of the Nations
The Sheep and the Goats
The Sheep and the Goats or "The Judgment of the Nations" was a discourse of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. It is sometimes characterized as a parable, although unlike most parables it does not purport to relate a story of events happening to other characters.One explanation is that it tells...
, concerning the timing of what many Christians believe to be the imminent second coming of Christ.
In Roman Catholic dogmatic, mystical or folk traditions there are, in addition to doctrines and prophecies of the Bible, also traditional teachings, or writings of people granted gifts of prophecy or a special visitation by messengers from heaven, such as angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s, saints, or Christ. The concept of the Great King features here prominently.
Equivalent notions
The notions of great monarch and angelic pope are equivalent to the FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
grand monarch and saint pape and the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Weltkaiser and Engelpapst.
The Great Monarch is conceptually similarly to the Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
of Islam in that:
- Both are conquerors/rulers that unite various peoples.
- Both live during the rise of antichrist but do not themselves defeat antichrist.
- Both convert many people to their respective religions.
- Both prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
- Some of their source belief is exta-scriptural, although the GCM is scriptural (Daniel's "He-Goat" and "king of the greeks").
Differences are the GCM defeats the Moslems who have invaded and occupy Europe in the future.
See also
- Sacred kingSacred kingIn many historical societies, the position of kingship carries a sacral meaning, that is, it is identical with that of a high priest and of judge. The concept of theocracy is related, although a sacred king need not necessarily rule through his religious authority; rather, the temporal position...
- Tiburtine SibylTiburtine SibylThe Tiburtine Sibyl was a Roman sibyl, whose seat was the ancient Etruscan town of Tibur .The mythic meeting of Cæsar Augustus with the Sibyl, of whom he inquired whether he should be worshiped as a god, was a favored motif of Christian artists. Whether the sibyl in question was the Etruscan Sibyl...
- Son of PerditionSon of PerditionSon of perdition is a phrase that appears in the New Testament in the Gospel of John and in the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians . Many theologians and scholars also consider "the beast that goes into perdition" mentioned in Revelation and to be references to the "Son of Perdition."According...
- Man of SinMan of SinThe Man of Sin or Man of Lawlessness is a figure referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, who is usually equated with the Antichrist.-Second Thessalonians, Chapter Two:...
- Grand Monarch
- King Arthur's messianic returnKing Arthur's messianic returnKing Arthur's messianic return is an aspect of the legend of King Arthur, the mythical 6th-century British king. Few historical records of Arthur remain, and there are doubts that he ever existed, but he achieved a mythological stature that gave rise to a growing literature about his life and deeds...
- Adso of Montier-en-Der
- ParousiaParousiaParousia is an ancient Greek word meaning presence, arrival, or official visit.-Classical usage:# Physical presence, arrival – The main use is the physical presence of a person, which where that person is not already present refers to the prospect of the physical arrival of that person, especially...
- Pope Peter IIPope Peter IIPope Peter II is a hypothetical Papal name and, in recent times, a common name for sedevacantist group leaders styling themselves as popes.-The name and its connotations:...