The dangerous business of predicting the death of popes – a history

Portrait of Michel de Nostredame (Nostradamus), painted by his son César de Nostredame. Wiki Commons

Michel de Nostredame (1503-66), better known as Nostradamus, is often hailed as one of the most successful prophets of all time. Said to have foreseen major world events from the rise of Hitler to COVID, the 16th-century astrologer was recently credited with predicting Pope Francis’s death – and what would happen next.

‘Through the death of a very old Pontiff

A Roman of good age will be elected.