To all my readers, peace and good will. Some of you have been asking for some time for an orderly exposition of my hypothesis of the “two witnesses” mentioned in chapter 11 of the Apocalypse of St. John. I will attempt to give you a relatively brief explanation of my findings but first a few warnings. Be aware that, if you are expecting to figure out the day of the “end of the world,” you will be wasting your time reading beyond this sentence.
Brief
I believe great events are coming upon all of us. You are likely to have noticed great changes in the world around you. You may even believe that important things are changing at an increasing pace. My impression is that a financial, political, and societal collapse is approaching. I do not know the exact time or manner of that approaching reality but I believe I have seen the shadow of that reality, and I share it with you in good faith. Whatever the value you may give to what you are about to read, please keep in mind it was something that was given to me. I was not looking for it. It just happened.
The data described here comes from objective facts. Dismiss them if you want as figments of my imagination but unfortunately they are not. For example, in 2016 Hanukkah and Christmas fall on December 25. Is that a product of my imagination? No. It is a fact that anyone can ascertain using a common calendar. I can imagine that Hanukkah falls on Labor Day 2016 until I’m blue in the face but I can assure you it won’t happen.
The apostasy of the West
In the past few years we have seen the apostasy of Europe extend to the American realm. Tolerance of abortion, deviant sexual mores, and general corruption was not enough. Now many variants of those practices enjoy the protection of the Law and more so, the Law now punishes those who resist or fail to submit to legally protected ungodly practices. That by itself is a significant collapse of traditional rules often disguised as a liberation from oppressive customs that modern society is expected to shed.
For decades the forces of darkness and disorder have been advancing. Lately they managed to take control of the high moral ground through something called “political correctness.” In our times we have seen an acceleration of that process. That is happening so fast that certain customs and institutions that have existed for millennia are now eliminated or radically modified by governing elites without any public debate or discussion, without any appeal to reason or valid philosophical arguments. We are seeing Pope Benedict’s predicted “dictatorship of relativism” taking shape before our own eyes, and we are apparently unable to forestall its growing power.
God’s warnings and signs
All the decay and increasing disorder around us is a sign of a civilization progressing towards the adverse judgments of God. American Christians tend to think that their country is leading the rebellion against Divine Law. However I would include the whole of what was formerly called Western Civilization, Christendom where the light of Christianity once shone unopposed. No one can commit apostasy against Christ without belonging to Christ in the first place.
It is my firm belief that God is showing us warning signs. These signals of the approaching disasters are shown to us because we can still use our free will to change direction. A well-known Jewish follower of Christ, Jonathan Cahn has written extensively about that in The Harbinger, his best selling book. As for myself I noticed a series of meaningful coincidences in the sinking of the Costa Concordia in January 13 of 2012 noted in the article The Tragedy of Giglio Island. Similar front-page news events day after day contribute to the general feeling that we are approaching a very difficult time. More and more Christians, and Jews believe we are entering into prophetic times.
I do not know how this judgment will come. I am not a prophet and if I have any opinion on the manner the events will develop, such private opinion has no value. All I want to do is to present the facts concerning a series of coincidences that are statistically very odd.
The first inkling
It was the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11 2013 when we learned that Benedict XVI had abdicated the papacy. As days went by we were told a Conclave of the Cardinals was called to elect a new Pope. It was a few days after Benedict’s abdication that I had the “hunch” that the new Pope was going to be elected on March 13. It happened so. Much to my surprise the new Pope was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Knowing a few things about him I imagined that he was going to ascend to the throne of Peter on the Feast of St Joseph. My assumptions were right and Pope Francis ascended to the papacy on March 19, 2013.
Not long after that while exchanging e-mails with a friend who is also a priest, I mentioned the odd fact that for the first time in 2000 years the Church had two Popes that were in total accord. Later that day I was reading Scripture and I happened to read Revelation 11 and the account of the measuring of the Temple and the two witnesses who preach in sackcloth for 1260 days. Reading that chapter I also thought of the three verses of Daniel where “numbers of days” are given. These are the Bible verses:
Revelation 11:3
And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, wearing sackcloth.’
Daniel 8:13-14
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one that spoke, ‘For how long is this vision concerning the regular burnt-offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled?’ And he answered him, ‘For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.’
Daniel 12:11
From the time that the regular burnt-offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel 12:12
Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days.’
| Theme | Scripture | Days |
| Witnesses preach on sackcloth | Revelation 11:3 | 1260 |
| 2,300 evenings and mornings | Daniel 8:13-14 | 1150 |
| Abomination of desolation | Daniel 12:11 | 1290 |
| Time of perseverance | Daniel 12:12 | 1335 |
March 13, 2013
This was the day the Conclave of Cardinals elected Pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio who took the name Francis. Many believe him to be the last Pope on this side of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary predicted by Our Blessed Mother to the visionaries of Fatima. In the well known prophecy of the12th century saint, Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair, (better known as St. Malachy of Armagh,) Francis holds the place of the last Pope, symbolically named Petrus Romanus about whom it is prophesied there:
“In persecutione extrema Sancta Romana Ecclesia sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis ciuitas septicollis diruetur, et Iudex tremêdus iudicabit populum suum: Finis.”
Translated: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations; after which the seven-hills city will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge the people: The end.”
Pope Francis is the last pope of the prophecy. The name Francis recalls St Francis of Assisi known as Rocca Maggiore, (transl. Big Rock) which is also the meaning of the name Peter. St Francis of Assisi baptismal name was Giovanni Francesco di Pietro Bernardone thus arguably establishing another connection to the Pope. “Pietro” means “Peter” and also “Rock” in Italian.
The date of Francis’ election has a connection with the date of Our Lord’s Crucifixion, April 3, 33.
3 April 33: 3+4+3+3=13
13 March 2013: 1+3+3+2+0+1+3=13
If one ads 1260 days (from Revelation 11) to this date, the result is 13 August 2016 which in the Hebrew calendar is the 9th of Av, a day of mourning for the Jews since on that date the Temple was destroyed twice. First by the Babylonians in 588 b.C. and later by the Romans in 70 a.D. This is a clearly ominous coincidence considering St Malachy’s “the seven-hills city will be destroyed” but I will abstain from interpreting in that manner even in cases where one interpretation may seem obvious as in this case.
Two witnesses
Who are the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11? Although many interpretations have been attempted, there is no consensus. In the development of this hypothesis I will assume that those two witnesses are our “two Popes” Benedict XVI and Francis since this is the first time in the history of the Church that we have two valid Popes living at the same time, both in total accord with each other.
Assuming that Benedict and Francis are the two witnesses we can say without a doubt that these two are present in the world since the moment when Francis is anointed as the Bishop of Rome. That date is the Feast of St Joseph, 19 March of 2013.
In this exercise we will consider that an “anchor date” adding to that day all the periods mentioned in Revelation 11, Daniel 8, and Daniel 12. This is a mere exercise and I ignore if there are theological reasons to count the days that way. In the beginning I added the dates basically “to see what happens” and what happened was a big surprise for me.
2300 evenings and mornings (1150 days)
The Jewish remembrance of Purim begins at sundown on March 23, 2016 to sundown of March 24 which is Holy Thursday in the Christian calendar. That is the first of several coincidences between the Jewish and the Christian calendar for 2016 (Hebrew year of 5776.) This will be the 1100th day of Pope Francis’ reign.
The lowest number to be added is 1150 representing the days prophesied in Daniel 8:14. Those 1150 days end on May 13 of 2016. That is quite a coincidence because it is the 99th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to the three little shepherds at Cova da Iria, in Portugal.
There is a remarkable connection to the later apparitions of Our Lady between 1961-1965 at Garabandal in Cantabria, Spain. There Our Blessed Mother promised to the young seer Conchita González, that God in His unfathomable mercy was going to give mankind an opportunity to repent by means of a warning and a miracle. The date of those events was trusted as a secret to Conchita González but she was allowed to give the world a few clues. The miracle is likely to occur:
- On the feast of a young martyr of the Eucharist
- On the months of March, April, or May
- On a Thursday
- On one important feast of the Church
The miracle will happen at 8:30 p.m. time of Spain and it will be manifest to all of mankind. Conchita will announce it to the world eight days in advance. Coincidentally that time of the evening on Thursday May 12 falls on the feast of St Pancras (a young martyr of the Eucharist) and also the vespers of Our Lady of Fatima (May 13.) This coincidence is made more meaningful because the nature of the warning and miracle, as described by the seers of Garabandal, is one of purification which connects with the words of the angel to Daniel: “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored [purified] to its rightful state.” St Pancras was beheaded for his faith at the age of fourteen, around the year 304. His name is Greek and literally means “the one that holds everything.”
All these events coincide with the eve of Pentecost 2016. In all fairness there is another date in 2017 when a number of remarkable events coincide with the Garabandal conditions: 13 April, 2017. That day falls in the 100th year anniversary of the Fatima apparitions of 1917. It also falls on Holy Thursday when the beginning of Easter coincides in both the Western Roman, Oriental Orthodox calendars, and the Jewish Passover. That date is the Feast of a Spanish Visigothic martyr for the Eucharist, Prince St. Hermenegild.
End of the preaching of the two witnesses, 1260 days
The next day to be completed on the calendar is the end of the “preaching in sackcloth” by the two witnesses. If we add the 1,260 days to the date of the ascension of Pope Francis to the papacy we obtain August 31, 2016.
At this time they give the ultimate witness of martyrdom.
“When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb; and the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of the earth.” Revelation 11:7-10.
But then a great miracle occurs, the two witnesses are resurrected:
“But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here!’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them.” Revelation 11:11.
St Michael stands up, 1290 days
Daniel the prophet is told what will happen “at the end of days:”
“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. […] From the time that the regular burnt-offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.” Daniel 12:1 and 11.
The completion of this period is highly suggestive because it coincides with Daniel’s prediction about Michael the great prince and protector of the people of God, obviously St Michael. When is this period completed? On September 29, 2016 that is in Michaelmas, the feast of St Michael and the Holy Archangels.
At this point I think the statistical probability of these dates aligning with the feasts of the Church in the way described, is very low.
Perseverance until the end of the 1335 days
“Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.” Daniel 12:12.
Applying the method consistently we arrive to the end of the 1335 days on November 13, 2016 which coincidentally falls one month after the Jewish Day of Atonement for that year.
The day itself is another 13th and suggests Fatima. More so when we consider that Our Lady of Fatima promised seven visits on the 13th day. Her first visit was in May 13, 1917 and her last visit was on October 13, 1917. The missing visitation is the 13th of November. Is Our Lady going to visit Fatima again to complete the promised seven apparitions?
Only 42 days after the completion of the 1,335 days on December 13 comes Christmas. There we observe another coincidence: Christmas and the First Day of Hanukkah fall on the same day making us wonder if this is a sign that finally Christians and Jews will celebrate together as one faith.
More signs intertwined
The biblical year, the Jewish year of 5776 starts on September 13, 2015 and ends on October 2, 2016. During the last two years of 2014 and 2015 we have seen lots of signs. One of the most remarkable is the coincidence of four lunar eclipses (“blood moons” in prophetic language) coinciding with the biblical feasts of Pesach and Sukkoth in the Jewish years of 5774-5775 (2014-2015) with the last one coming on September 28, 2015.
These years of 2015 and 2016 are not ordinary years. 2015 was a sabbatical year, a Shmittah, followed by a Jubilee Year beginning after Yom Kippur on the evening of October 11, 2015. Jonathan Cahn has covered the Shmittah and other interesting themes in his books The Harbinger, and The Mystery of the Shmittah.
There is at least one important prophecy by one of the most recognized Jewish scholars of the Torah, the Gaon of Vilna whose name was Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman. He lived between 1720-1797 in Vilnius, Lithuania and predicted the Messiah would arrive in 5776, a year ending in “776” which — as I have learned from Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson — is a number that means “liberty” or “liberation” in Hebrew, where letters are used also as numbers. For the record, Rabbi Glazerson is not a Christian.
The great Jewish scholar known as the Vilna Gaon also predicted, back in the 1700’s:
“When you hear that the Russians have invaded Crimea, you will know that the bells of Redemption have begun to ring. When you hear that the Russians have reached Constantinople (Istanbul), you can already don Sabbath clothes and await the appearance of Messiah.”
Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman, the Vilna Gaon (d.1797)
Hearken, hearken to what will happen in the latter days of the world ! There will be great wars ; unjust laws will be enacted; the Church will be despoiled of her property ; people will read and write a great deal ; but charity and humility will be laughed to scorn, and the common people will believe in false ideas.
St. Columba of Iona, Apostle of Scotland (†597)
When pictures look alive, with movements free,
When ships like fish swim beneath the sea,
When men oustripping birds can soar the sky,
Then half the world deep drenched in blood shall die.
An Old English Prophecy.
So, be warned, my friend. I have given you the signs of the antichrist. Do not merely store them in your memory. Pass them on to everyone without stint. If you have a child after the flesh, teach them to him forthwith. And if you have become a godparent, forewarn your godchild, lest he should take the false christ for the True. For “the mystery of lawlessness doth already work.”
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (†386)
As is written in the Gospel, nobody knows the time of the coming of the Antichrist. But there are already signs that he will come soon. Seeing the persecution against the faith and the striving to destroy it, and also much else, we must think that this time is approaching. But still it is impossible to say anything exactly.
Hieromartyr Nicon of Optina (+1931).
Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth.
Carlos Caso-Rosendi 