Pope Francis attends interfaith services in Indonesia; WCC preparing for Nicea 2025 unity; An Antichrist agenda?
The imam first kissed the pope on the top of the head. (Vatican Media photo) https://t.co/fQU4U6lRMG pic.twitter.com/JWlDFSOY0G
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) September 5, 2024
Pope Francis attended an interfaith service in Indonesia:
September 5, 2024
Pope Francis met with Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, on Thursday, …
The pair signed a joint declaration at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, symbolizing the pope’s push to promote religious harmony during his visit to Muslim-majority Indonesia.
Francis called the mosque a “great gift” and told people from other faiths that “we are all brothers and sisters, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us.” https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5099004/pope-francis-indonesia-muslim-imam-religious-harmony
While there should be peace between peoples, there is only one name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12)–Jesus (Acts 4:10)–and a faith that denies that is not on the “way to God.”
The Vatican is also working towards unity with the Protestants and the Eastern Orthodox, as are groups such as the World Council of Churches (WCC).
The Ecumenical News posted the following:
Ecumenical conference to be held in Wadi El Natrun for 1,700th anniversary of Nicaea Council
September 4, 2024
The world is in 2025 to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the world’s first ecumenical council, the Council of Nicaea, held in AD 325 in Wadi El Natrun in northern Egypt. …
The Middle East Council of Churches said it will be fundamental and pivotal in the history of the Christian faith and the ecumenical path. …
Roman emperor Constantine I, who was unbaptized, but in the process of converting to Christianity called the council. …
The Middle East Council of Churches said that the World Coucil of Churches is preparing activities with churches and Christian world communions, for the occasion, as well as with regional and international organizations and theological and ecumenical institutions.
The most prominent celebration will occur at the WCC’s Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, with the theme “Where now for
It will be held between Oct. 24 and 28, 2025, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrount.
To prepare for the conference, which will bring together international church leaders and theologians on various issues of faith and unity, the WCC has organized a series of meetings. https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/ecumenical-conference-to-be-held-in-wadi-el-natrun-for-1700th-anniversary-of-nicaea-council/61165.htm
Yes, there are moves towards a Babylonian religious “unity” taking place. Because of political and other considerations which the attendees hold ABOVE scripture, this is really part of an Antichrist agenda.
Related to the Vatican and the 1700th anniversary of Nicea, the Continuing Church of God put out the following video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel:
Vatican’s ‘Bait & Switch’?
On June 13, 2024, the Vatican released “a new document was presented by the Dicastery for Christian Unity on the role of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) in view of an eventual unity with all the Christian Churches.” This is something that certain ecumenical ones, including Pope Francis and Cardinal Kurt Koch (the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity) have been working on. This document is intended to reduce the relative importance of the Patriarch of Rome, compared to leaders of other faiths (and we believe many are sincere about that) to increase unity among the world’s churches. The 1700 year anniversary of Emperor Constantine’s Council of Nicea is set for 20 May 2025. This is something that the Eastern Orthodox, Vatican, various Protestants, and the World Council of Churches endorse, but not the Church of God as ‘Judeao-Christians’ also did not attend the 325 A.D. council. Some Greco-Roman prophecies are looking for a council that will result in unity and satisfy the heretics, whereas others warn against it as well as the rise of an antipope, who looks to be the final Antichrist of the Bible. Biblically, the 13 June change to the pope’s role looks like it will be a type of “bait and switch” as the False Prophet, the two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11-17 will still rise up. Might signs and lying wonders be used for worldly unity? According to an Eastern Orthodox writer, might false Marian matters be involved for that type of unification? Is there a church against the “unity of God” that Emperor Theodosius had adopted in 381 A.D.? Who could be the “secret sect” some think arises in the end times? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.
Here is a link to our video: Vatican’s ‘Bait & Switch’?
That said, there have long been Roman Catholics who have wondered if Francis could be some type of anti-pope.
Years back, we put out the following video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel:
16:34
Some cardinals and other members of the Roman Catholic clergy are concerned that Pope Francis has deviated from its traditional positions on matters such as homosexuality, salvation, fornication, remarriage, and other doctrines. Australian Cardinal George Pell even mentioned ‘antipopes’ when discussing Pope Francis. North American Cardinal Raymond Burke has raised many concerns about Francis’ pontificate. Did Catholic saints teach that popes could become heretics? Will the final pope not be Catholic? Is an ecumenical pontiff possibly the final Antichrist? What do both biblical, and even Roman Catholic, prophecies warn about? Could Pope Francis be an antipope and final Antichrist?
Here is a link to our video: Anti-Pope Francis?
What about now?
Well, some ‘traditionalist’ Roman Catholics still have issues with aspects of Francis’ ecumenical and interfaith agenda. LifeSiteNews posted the following:
September 5, 2024
Signing a joint declaration with Indonesia’s Muslim Grand Imam, Pope Francis urged inter-religious “unity and harmony,” …
Francis … urged a continuation of building relationships between creeds. …
The culmination of the event was the join signing of the Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024, “Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity.”
While shorter than the controversial 2019 Abu Dhabi declaration on Human Fraternity, the Istiqlal text echoes its key elements. …
Both with his Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity (2019) and encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti (2020), Pope Francis cemented a defining feature of his papal reign – namely, a form of “fraternity” and “unity” which appeared divorced from the Catholic faith. The Abu Dhabi text was also described as seeming to “overturn the doctrine of the Gospel” with its promotion of equality of religions in a form of “fraternity.” Similarly, Fratelli Tutti was condemned by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò as promoting a “blasphemous” form of brotherhood without God as well as “religious indifferentism.” https://www.lifesitenews.com/analysis/pope-francis-and-indonesian-grand-imam-call-for-inter-religious-action-to-fight-climate-change/
November 21, 2023
Ecumenism as a path to One World Religion..
If Catholics are to become “united” with Protestants, Hindus, and Buddhists, and the latter are unwilling to convert to the Catholic faith, there is only one direction the Church – or rather, its hierarchy – can take: to make optional the belief that we consume the actual flesh of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Unfortunately, by all appearances, the Vatican is working toward this ecumenical “unity” right now under the guise of brotherly “love.”
A key milestone in this effort occurred earlier this year when the multi-faith Abrahamic Family House (AFH), composed of a church, a mosque, and a synagogue, opened in the United Arab Emirates, born directly out of the 2019 Abu Dhabi document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, signed by Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb during the Pope’s 2019 visit to the UAE.
The document infamously states: “The pluralism and the diversity of religions, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings.” Professor Roberto de Mattei, founder and president of the Rome-based Lepanto Foundation, has pointed out to LifeSiteNews that this appears to be in discontinuity with the Fourth Lateran Council and with magisterial teaching from Pope Gregory XVI to Pope Pius XI.
The day he signed the document, in remarks to the Muslim Council of Elders, Francis said, commenting on the Genesis flood narrative and Noah’s Ark:
According to the biblical account, in order to preserve humanity from destruction, God asked Noah to enter the ark along with his family. We too in the name of God, in order to safeguard peace, need to enter together as one family into an ark which can sail the stormy seas of the world: the ark of fraternity.
This statement has momentous implications for Francis’ view of the Church and the direction in which he wants to take it. The early Church Fathers saw Noah’s ark as a prefigurement of the Catholic Church, since just as Noah and his family preserved their lives through the ark, we preserve our spiritual life – life eternal – through the Catholic Church. …
The Vatican continues to take steps to achieve so-called “fraternity” and “unity” with other religions, including atheistic religions. Most recently, the Vatican issued a statement for the Seventh Buddhist-Christian Colloquium putting Jesus Christ and Buddha on the same level by declaring, “As Buddhists and Christians, we see the Buddha and Jesus as Great Healers.”
This is a blatant, egregious falsehood, since the man known as the Buddha did not acknowledge God, cannot be called anything other than a false prophet, and therefore cannot be a true “healer.”
Such a statement is also a great offense to God, because even if the Buddha was a true prophet, the claim reduces Christ to the level of a prophet, without proclaiming that He is God Himself.
Will such efforts to “unite” with other religions lead to an attempt by the Church hierarchy to expand the scope of “intercommunion” (shared reception of Holy Communion), even with members of non-Christian religions?
Already, Francis has endorsed the German Bishops’ Conference green-lighting of reception of Holy Communion by Protestant spouses and has told a Lutheran woman regarding the question of whether she can receive Holy Communion in a Catholic church, “Speak with the Lord and move forward. I won’t say anything more.”
It appears that Francis remains unopposed to efforts towards “intercommunion,” and even wishes that such aspirations shape the trajectory of the Synod on Synodality. One of his chosen non-bishop voting delegates for the October Synod, Cynthia Bailey Manns, is a contributor to the heretical bimonthly journal Ecumenical Trends, which advocates “shared communion” with Protestants. …
It is only a matter of time before the hierarchy that rejects Christ makes manifest its rejection of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Rome will lose the faith and become the seat of the antichrist. — Our Lady of La Salette [1] …
That the current Church hierarchy is working towards the realization of an anti-Church devoid of the Real Presence of Christ is also supported by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s prophecy regarding a future anti-church. Francis and his allies are already echoing predictions by Sheen, who foretold regarding this anti-church:
It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content. There will be a mystical body of the antichrist, which will resemble in all its externals the Mystical Body of Christ.
Sheen also noted, “Because his religion will be brotherhood without the fatherhood of God, [the antichrist] will deceive even the elect.”
[1] Johannes Maria Höcht, Die Große Botschaft von La Salette [The Great Message of La Salette], Stein am Rhein 2004 (8th ed.), p. 161.
Yes, Pope Francis’ pushing the ecumenical and interfaith agendas, while watering down certain aspects of Roman Catholicism will make it that much easier for an antipope, who according to various Roman Catholic writings would be the final Antichrist, to rise up.
As far as an anti-pope goes, could the final Antichrist be an antipope?
Yes.
Well, what is an antipope/anti-pope? Here is a short definition from The Catholic Encyclopedia:
Antipope
A false claimant of the Holy See in  opposition to a pontiff canonically elected. (“Antipope.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907.  Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York)
While historically most have considered that antipopes falsely claimed the Roman Bishopric when others had it, I would contend that it is reasonable to conclude that one who was elected under false pretenses would also be a false claimant and hence antipope. Or if a pope changed and became demonically-possessed, such as the situation involving the False Prophet of Revelation 16:13, would that not make him an antipope? Most Roman Catholics, at least now, would tend to agree that such a one would be a false claimant to the papal role. If so, that would seem to make him an antipope.
Although there have not been any recognized antipopes for several centuries, The Catholic Encyclopedia shows a list of thirty individuals that have been considered antipopes (Ibid). This is roughly one for every ten claimed “Bishops of Rome.”
” And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. ” He is speaking of the great and false prophet who is to do signs, and portents, and falsehoods before him in the presence of men (Victorinus–a Catholic Saint. Commentary on the Apocalypse. c. 290).
The Two Beasts (13:1-18)…
“And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and it had two horns…”…The beast and the false prophet (the beast of the earth) are seized…(Cited in Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 103,108).
The portions quoted above are consistent with the Bible and Church of God teachings of the Bible.
Notice the following unusual comment from Roman Catholic Cardinal Newman:
Antichrist must have some similarity to the Pope … (Cited in Mass A.J. Antichrist. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Copyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
It appears likely that, to a degree, the Antichrist will be a demon-possessed (or at least demon-influenced) pope.
This would make the Antichrist an antipope according to Roman Catholic understanding–and while the Antichrist being an antipope is not a majority opinion within Roman Catholicism, it has been a position that some Greco-Roman Catholics have suggested throughout the ages. The final Antichrist will feign some version of Roman Catholicism for a time, yet later allow that faith to be betrayed.
Perhaps it should be mentioned that some Greco-Roman Catholic writers clearly have understood that the two-horned beast in Revelation 13 is likely to be an antipope and that a negative power will be established in Jerusalem:
Priest E. Sylvester Berry (published 1920): The two horns denote a twofold authority – spiritual and temporal. As indicated by the resemblance to a lamb, the prophet will probably set himself up in Rome as a sort of anti-pope . . . Antichrist will establish himself in Jerusalem . . . with his ‘lying wonders’ . . . (Berry ES. The Apocalypse of St. John, 1920. Quoted in Culleton RG. The Reign of Antichrist. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 199-200).
St. Martin (4th century): The Antichrist would first seize the empire of the East; he would have Jerusalem as his seat and imperial capital. (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 115).
Notice the following admission from the Roman Catholic Cardinal Newman:
The defenders of the Papal-Antichrist theory … cite St. Bernard as identifying the Beast of the Apocalypse with the Pope, though St. Bernard speaks in the passage of the Antipope; they appeal to the Abbot Joachim as believing that Antichrist will be elevated to the Apostolic See, while the Abbot really believes that Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See (Cited in Mass A.J. Antichrist. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Copyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Thus, similar to the genuine Church of God the Church of Rome seems to teach that the two horns represent the spiritual and secular authority of the false prophet. A pope certainly would be able to fulfill that. Notice what the late COG evangelist John Ogwyn wrote:
In prophecy, horns are used to represent rulership or authority, and this creature is pictured with two horns. Revelation 13:12 reveals that this second beast insists that all give their allegiance and loyalty to the Holy Roman Empire, the beast whose deadly wound was healed (v. 12). This second beast is described as performing great miracles, which will deceive humanity (vv. 13–14). In Matthew 24:24, Christ prophesied of “false Christs” who will deceive all but the very elect.
Historically, was there an institution claiming to represent Christ (“like a lamb,” v. 11) and holding sway over the populace by means of various “miracles” (v. 14)—an institution which taught the devil’s false message that God’s law was “done away” and which insisted that its adherents give their loyalty to the Holy Roman Empire? Throughout the medieval period, the Church of Rome did exactly this!
Why the two horns? The Church of Rome is both an ecclesiastical and a civil government. The pope is both a religious leader and a civil head of state. Bible prophecy shows that the church-state union of the Middle Ages was a forerunner of end-time events whose scale will be far grander (Ogwyn J. The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality? Booklet).
It is also interesting to note that the Roman Catholic Church does believe that there are references in John’s writings to Rome, and that they are negative. Specifically, John warned about Babylon, which they acknowledge is a reference to Rome, throughout the Book of Revelation, called the Book of the Apocalypse in Roman Catholic writings.
Notice what an Greek Orthodox Catholic scholar observed:
Dr. H. Otto Tzima (20th century): The antipope – the Episcopal of the Beast, alias the false prophet (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. The Verenika Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, p. 138).
The final Antichrist will support the coming European Beast power (cf. Revelation 13:11-18), and according to various scriptures (cf. Revelation 17:15-18) allow the Church of Rome to be attacked.
Pope Francis will not stop what is coming.
But, in fact, Francis has helped lay the foundation for the rise of the final Antichrist.
Some items of related interest may include:
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims.
Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes This article has information from the book, Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century, as well as from the old WCG and other sources. Here is a link to a related sermon: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes. Here is a related sermon in the Spanish language: El cristianismo visto a través de los ojos islámicos.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Roman Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.
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