Vaticinia de Summis Pontificibus
Encyclopedia
A series of manuscript prophecies concerning the Papacy, under the title of Vaticinia de Summis Pontificibus, a Latin text which assembles portraits of popes and prophecies related to them, circulated from the late thirteenth-early fourteenth century, with prophecies concerning popes from Pope Nicholas III
onwards.
The mystical series of prophecies, known from their incipit
as the Genus nequam prophecies, are derived from the Byzantine Leo Oracles, a series of twelfth-century Byzantine prophecies that foretell a savior-emperor destined to restore unity to the empire. Their poems and tempera illuminations mix fantasy, the occult
, and chronicle in a chronology of the popes. Each prophecy consists of four elements, an enigmatic allegorical
text, an emblem
atic picture, a motto, and an attribution to a pope.
The series was augmented in the fourteenth century with further prophecies, with the incipit
Ascende calve, written in imitative continuation of the earlier set, but with more overtly propagandist
aims. By the time of the Council of Constance
(1414–1418), both series were united as the Vaticinia de summis pontificibus and misattributed to the Calabria
n mystic Joachim of Flora, thus credited to a pseudo-Joachim. There are some fifty manuscripts of this fuller collection.
The prophecies received numerous printed editions.
Pope Nicholas III
Pope Nicholas III , born Giovanni Gaetano Orsini, Pope from November 25, 1277 to his death in 1280, was a Roman nobleman who had served under eight Popes, been made cardinal-deacon of St...
onwards.
Introduction
The series of some thirty prophecies, based on Greek prototypes, was "most probably conceived in order to influence one of the ongoing papal elections," written in opposition to the Orsini and their candidates.The mystical series of prophecies, known from their incipit
Incipit
Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...
as the Genus nequam prophecies, are derived from the Byzantine Leo Oracles, a series of twelfth-century Byzantine prophecies that foretell a savior-emperor destined to restore unity to the empire. Their poems and tempera illuminations mix fantasy, the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
, and chronicle in a chronology of the popes. Each prophecy consists of four elements, an enigmatic allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
text, an emblem
Emblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
atic picture, a motto, and an attribution to a pope.
The series was augmented in the fourteenth century with further prophecies, with the incipit
Incipit
Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...
Ascende calve, written in imitative continuation of the earlier set, but with more overtly propagandist
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
aims. By the time of the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
(1414–1418), both series were united as the Vaticinia de summis pontificibus and misattributed to the Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
n mystic Joachim of Flora, thus credited to a pseudo-Joachim. There are some fifty manuscripts of this fuller collection.
The prophecies received numerous printed editions.
See also
- Prophecy of the PopesProphecy of the PopesThe Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, is a list of 112 short phrases in Latin. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes , beginning with Pope Celestine II and concluding with the successor of current pope Benedict XVI, a pope described in the prophecy as "Peter...
- Vaticinia NostradamiVaticinia NostradamiThe Vaticinia Michaelis Nostradami de Futuri Christi Vicarii ad Cesarem Filium D. I. A. Interprete , or Vaticinia Nostradami for short, is a collection of eighty watercolor images compiled as an illustrated codex...
- The Prophesying Nun of DresdenThe Prophesying Nun of DresdenThe Prophesying Nun of Dresden , better known in Italy as la Monaca di Dresda, was a nun reported to have had the gift of clairvoyance.She wrote many prophetic letters to princes and senior churchmen...
External links
- Stiftsbibliothek Kremsmünster: Vaticinia Pontificum
- Pseudo-Joachim, the mythical "Anselm of Marisco" et al., Vaticinia de summis pontificibus
- ( University of Zurich) Frank Schleich, "Ascende calve: the later series of the medieval pope prophecies"
- Images taken form several versions of V.d.S.P. located in libraries around the World