The Name and Its Connotations
Out of respect for the Apostle Saint Peter, who is seen by Catholics as the first Pope, no Pope has ever adopted the name Peter II. It is considered unlikely that any future pope would choose the name. Many popes have, however, had Peter (or a regional variant) as their baptismal name, most recently Pope Benedict XIII (Pietro Orsini).
The likelihood of such a choice is further diminished by the final passage of the Prophecy of the Popes attributed to St. Malachy, a text which is well known in Catholic circles, though having no official standing. The Prophecy refers to a Petrus Romanus (Peter the Roman) as the final Pope: he would "feed his sheep in many tribulations" and in the days of the "final persecution." This text invests the name of Peter II with an apocalyptic connotation.
Read more about this topic: Pope Peter II
Famous quotes containing the words the name:
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—Herman Melville (1819–1891)