White Smoke!

I’m not a Catholic, but I’ve been fascinated, as almost everyone is, with the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of his successor over the last two weeks.

First with the outpouring of feeling and respect for the late Pope.

Second, with the pageantry and ritualistic ceremony of Conclave to elect the new Pope.

And today, marked by the ceremonial white smoke from the most-watched furnace chimney pipe in history, there’s a new Pope. The first German pope in 1000 years, Cardinal Ratzinger – now to be called Pope Benedict XVI.

I had my own points of interest throughout the process.

One is that I admired Pope John Paul II. His tenure as pontiff mirrored my tenure as an adult. He was chosen in 1978 as I was graduating from high school and going off to make my way in the world. Some has been made in the media about his impact on the political structure of the world in those years of the late 70’s and early 80’s. What I remember is how dangerous that time was and how real and scary it was with the superpowers facing off.

That dangerous world, and the Pope’s role in it, are symbolized to me by one event that I remember well. It was the meeting of the Pope and President Reagan in Anchorage Alaska. Seemingly, it wasn’t much – just a photo op at a logistical crossroads for two men’s overseas travel. One coming, one going. And they met in a small room at the airport in Anchorage for a short time. But it was important beyond the logistical details or the happenstance meeting. It was two political giants meeting in a land that itself is bigger than life and magical. And it was important to symbolize that these two men, representing their giant spheres of influence in the historic and critical battle of East and West, stood together. It’s the event I remember most from the Pope’s tenure.

And I would be remiss here on Partisan Newsjunkie, given my “about me” mention of my affection for conspiracy theories, if I did not relate a conspiracy theory about the Pope.

**** Spoiler Alert. If end times discussions bother you, don’t read on.


It was a prophecy. I don’t remember the source. Nostradamus or somewhere. But I do remember the context. It was a discussion that I read about the biblical end times and when they would begin. The theory, which I read in an offhand way, has stuck with me – I’m not sure why.

The theory: that the Pope after John Paul would be a short lived interim Pope, maybe two years or so. And the Pope that follows – who would choose the name Peter – would usher in the biblical end times spoken of in the book of Revelations. Armageddon and all.

Why I remember that theory, which I read more than ten years ago, I don't know. But you can bet that I’ll be watching the next Conclave, and the name of the man who steps out on the balcony that day.