A Terrorist attack on the Vatican?

Pope Benedict XVI's recent comments on ji'had have infuriated many in the Islamic World. Whether or not the Pope's message was understood as he may have intended, the reaction has been quite strong. Islamic protesters have bombed Catholic Churches in the Middle East and have burned the Pope in effigy.

Earlier this year, Al Quaida announced that it was willing to attack the Vatican. This was before Pope Benedict XVI's comments. One can only surmise that the Vatican has been moved up a notch or two on the terrorist target list.

The question that I pose is whether the Popes' comments might cause continued anger in the Islamic world to the point where the Vatican, specifically St. Peter's Basilica, might become a bonafide target of Islamic extremists or terrorists?

What would be the reaction if such terrorists destroyed this ancient center of the Catholic Faith?

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I don't see the Pope sending his mercenaries -- the Swiss Guard -- to the Middle East to wreak havoc and seek revenge. Though, I must admit, the site of those pantalooned pikemen would certainly evoke images of the Crusades. Seriously, I can see that the destruction of the Vatican by a terrorist act would certainly galvanize the opinion of "Catholic" nations, primarily Western Europe, and possibly bring about a military reaction from the West.

[edit on 9/17/2006 by benevolent tyrant]

[edit on 9/17/2006 by benevolent tyrant]

[edit on 9/17/2006 by benevolent tyrant]

i think that they may want to attack it, but i dont think that they would be able to. but i could very well be wrong. im sure they are already discussing how to prevent such a thing from happening.


digitalgrl

Originally posted by DigitalGrl
but i dont think that they would be able to. but i could very well be wrong. im sure they are already discussing how to prevent such a thing from happening.digitalgrl

I would certainly hope that terrorists would not be able to destroy the vatican but, then, I would have said the same about the WTC on 9/11. And when I compare the assetts of the United States with those of the Vatican I can't help but note that the attack on the WTC would have been far less likely. The United States has a vast military machine to maintain it's security while the Vatican must rely upon the security forces of other nations (primarily Italy) for it's own defence.

Naturally, I am certain that there are a lot of discussions about just this sort of scenario taking place within the security departments of a number of nations. An attack on the Vatican would most surely escalate the War on Terrorism to an entirely different level.

Just a thought, are there any prophecies concerning attacks on the Vatican or about the destruction of St. Peter's Basilica? I would be curious to know.

benevolent tyrant your first link dosnt work.
I dont understand why non Christians pay any attention to the Pope the fact that he thinks that men shouldnt use condoms in Africa gives you a clue to his mine set.
Personaly I dont care what the Pope says or dose. As for the Pope being terrorist target anything that dosnt fit the terrorists agenda is a target.

G'day,

In regards to youquery wether there are any predictions on attacks on the vatican, i do remember reading a Nostradamus book a while ago that predicted the death of two popes within short period of time from one another and that after this the head of the catholic church will move.

Hold on, just checked my book " Nostradamus in the 21st century" by Peter Lemesurier
Here are a few quotes:

Verse 55 - A mighty muslim chief shall come to birth
In country fortunate of Araby
He'll take Granada, trouble Spanish earth,
And conquer the Italians from the sea.

I just found this on the following website, something Cardinald Ratzinger (now the pope) said in 1984 in regards to the third secret of Fatima -

"5. In a 1984 interview to the Italian periodical Jesus, Cardinal Ratzinger said that the Secret corresponds to what is announced in Sacred Scripture."

www.deepspace4.com...

Could what is happening now be in some part what Fatimas third secret was? and former cardinal Ratzinger knew about it way back then so he might be a part player in what will occur in the future.

Here's some more from the above site which makes sense in the current world situation and which I beleive is relevant, bout a vision the late John Paul had -

"10. The vision reports the Pope, after he passed through a big city which was half in ruins, together with bishops, priests, nuns, brothers, religious men and women as well as lay people being killed by an group of soldiers using bullets and, surprisingly enough, arrows.

In this vision the Pope is being killed, not by one lone gunman, as was attempted by the Ali Agca in 1981, but by, judging by the arms they used, a group of irregular soldiers, an uncontrollable remnant of the strong army, which has destroyed a large city killing various ranks of the hierarchy of the Church and society. "

sure sounds like a group of terrorists to my (Irregular Soldiers) !

Also, this....

"Nostradamus has written a quatrain from which can be deduced that the main events which are described in the released Massage and those for which is presumed that they should be contained in the third part of Fatima secret, are still in our future."

Try the following link - www.holocaustrevealed.org...

It talks of a dream narrated in 1862 by St. John Bosco that speaks of the last and current Pope.

"he dream in question was narrated May 30 1862 (from Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco).

"Suddenly the Pope falls gravely wounded. Immediately, those who are with him run to help him and they lift him up. A second time the Pope is struck, he falls again and dies. A shout of victory and joy rings out amongst the enemies; from their ships an unspeakable mockery arises.

But hardly is the Pontiff dead than another takes his place. The pilots, having met together, have elected the Pope so promptly that the news of the death of the Pope coincides with the news of the election of the successor. The adversaries begin to lose courage."

"The new Pope, putting the enemy to rout and overcoming every obstacle, guides the ship right up to the two columns and comes to rest between them; he makes it fast with a light chain that hangs from the bow to an anchor of the column on which stands the Host; and with another light chain which hangs from the stern, he fastens it at the opposite end to another anchor hanging from the column on which stands the Immaculate Virgin.

Comment: To apply to Benedict XVI the prophecy must allude to John Paul II being once seriously wounded and then dying from his later Parkinsons Disease etc. Otherwise we are going to see this pope shot and the next, and last, speedily elected also. "

And to conclude, the following quote by Pope Pius X in 1909 says it all and will give you goosebumps as you read. Here it is -

"Pius X (1835-1914) in 1909 during an audience with the general Chapter of the Franciscans fell into a semi-trance with his head sunk on his chest and after a few minutes he came to and opened his eyes with a look of horror on his face. He reputedly cried out:

What I have seen was terrible… Will it be myself? Will it be my successor? What is certain is that the Pope will quit Rome, and in fleeing from the Vatican he will have to walk over the dead bodies of his priests. Do not tell anyone while I am alive (cf. Stephen Skinner, Millennium Prophecies, Carlton, p. 75).

Obviously, Rome and specifically the papacy are seen as the enemy in this invasion of Rome. What events are happening now that might justify or cause these events? The answer is the coming war with Islam and the role of the papacy in precipitating that war. "

If tha doesn't explain through divine intervention what is about to occur with the Vatican, then I do not know what does. This, Fatimas third secret, Nostradamus, Ratzinger knowingsince before 1983 of the third secret and together with the former Pope bringing in changes to the church and what is occuring now with their agenda.

Yesterday they said on the news that precautionary security measures have already been taken. Interesting to know is that Al Qaeda supposedly planned an assassination on Pope John Paul II.

Although I am not a supporter of Nostradamus, mainly because many of his predications are false and/or wrongly printed throughout the ages. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see the position of Pope Benedictus evolving. Normally, the Vatican did have a neutral position, but now their position seems to be interpreted as anti Islam in the eyes of many Muslims.

Among supporters of Nostradamus he is believed to have predicted the assassination of a Pope, which - although I'm not a believer - doesn't seem to be impossible to happen these days, the same applies for his said prediction of the assassination of Bush.

Vatican officials have indicated there were credible threats of an assassination plot against the Holy Father in 1995 when he visited the Philippines for World Youth Day, but denied there was any such threat in 1999.

London´s Sunday Times reported that the Al Qaida masterminds behind the September 11 terror attack had also planned to kill the Pope when he visited Manila in 1999. It said the plan was thwarted when the papal trip to the Philippines was canceled "at the last minute".

According to Catholic World News, an official Vatican statement pointed out: "No trip to the Philippine was ever planned for 1999." But it says the officials acknowledge that US intelligence agents warned of an al Qaida plan directed by Osama bin Laden, prompting tight security precautions.

Earlier this year, rumors circulated in Rome about the possibility that Pope John Paul might travel to Manila in January 2003, for an international meeting of families. Although there has been no definitive statement from the Vatican, such as trip is now seen as highly unlikely because of the Pope´s uncertain health and the physical demands of such a lengthy trip.

Source

Bogota - The pope elected to succeed John Paul II will be assassinated and his death will spark a Muslim invasion of the West that will split the Roman Catholic Church, according to an interpretation of Nostradamus' prophecies by a leading Colombian author.
Gonzalo Echeverri, a Colombian investigating judge and author of a book on Nostradamus, said: "The next pope elected will be subsequently murdered in central Italy.

Nostradamus was a 16th century scholar who made prophecies. His supporters say he predicted the French revolution, the rise of Hitler and the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

News24

MOGADISHU, Somalia - An elderly Italian nun who devoted her life to helping the sick in Africa was shot dead by two gunmen at a hospital Sunday in an attack possibly linked to worldwide Muslim anger towards Pope Benedict XVI.

Yahoo News

How would you describe men such as those, killing an innocent nun helping the poor in Africa? Sick fanatics? Ignorant lunatics?

Even though we must try to avoid generalizing, for some reason a far bigger percentage of Muslims seems to think behaving violently in response to another's words is a common way of acting.

Imagine that we as Westerners (the largest part of ATS) would burn down Mosques in response to the Iranian Holocaust cartoons? Really, no one will get me - and most among us - to commit such crimes. This again shows how fast Muslims (in general) feel insulted, though they (try) to insult others in exactly the same way.

I mean the Muslim demonstrators won't get me angry by burning a Pope doll, or inciting that the Pope should be hanged, even though I don't like it at all. What would cause the aggression, are we Westerners not religious enough anymore to get angry because of such provocations, what do you think?




[edit on 18-9-2006 by Mdv2]

Originally posted by Mdv2
are we Westerners not religious enough anymore to get angry because of such provocations, what do you think?[edit on 18-9-2006 by Mdv2]

Though Westerners are every bit as capable, as Muslim fundamentalists, to cause untold senseless damage, destruction, mayhem and murder, perhaps -- just perhaps -- we have evolved a bit more. Before I have some sort of death edict placed on me, let me say that I mean that Westerners have, perhaps, "evolved" more philosophically, theologically, spiritually and intellectually as it pertains to logic. Hmmmmm, this is still gonna get me killed.

Oh well.....

Nevertheless, there was a time when Westerners were just as illogical, just as reactionary as the present-day Muslim fundamentalists. Westerners now call that time as the Dark Ages. It took a long time for Westerners to realize that the philosophy of "Kill them All and let God sort them out" was flawed. It was not something to base an entire reactionary religion upon just because it sounded pretty good on a T-shirt

I posted this elsewhere too, but to add to the post by Melbourne_Militia, the "third secret of Fatima" (a message revealed by a set of miraculous visions of the Virgin to some Portuguese children in the early C20th and written down to hand to the Church in 1944) is published in full and has been for some time. No need to refer obliquely to what it "might" say... Kept secret for decades and then published in 2000 it appears to speak of a destructive attack upon the Holy See (Church government):

J.M.J.

The third part of the secret revealed at the Cova da Iria-Fatima, on 13 July 1917.

I write in obedience to you, my God, who command me to do so through his Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and through your Most Holy Mother and mine.

After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'. And we saw in an immense light that is God: ‘something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it' a Bishop dressed in White ‘we had the impression that it was the Holy Father'. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.

Tuy-3-1-1944

Full text of publication, analysis, commentary and proposed interpretation by the Vatican

The "official" interpretation (that the message refers to the attempted shooting of John Paul II) was ironically provided by the current Pope, as the then Cardinal Ratzinger. Well, ironic if the more obvious interpretation comes to be true in the light of current events...

Incidentally, whatever you think of the Fatima visions, the main predicted event during the period back during WW1 - the "miraculous" solar phenomenon on the hour, place and day specified - is about the only aparrently supernatural prediction of the C20th that has come true with no problems of interpretive ambiguity (whether you think you know what caused the phenomenon is immaterial as the event was nonetheless technically impossible to have been predicted in advance). Newspapers reported "it", some attempted, but poor, photos were made of "it", and thousands saw "it" to verify it.

Lets hope that this so called 'evolution' of the western world brings us all together. These new threats against the vatican could indeed be a good thing. Once the rest of the world see's how brazen and irresponsible jihadists are treating this situation with the pope, the christian world might galvanise against islam and take the heat off the US.

Not that this would be a solution to the problem by any means but atleast more people will see that this extremist sentiment is going a bit far.

I knew from the beginning of this war that it would turn into a religious issue. This is where things get interesting.

A question still remains to be answered in this thread......What would happen if a terror attack against the Vatican killed the Pope and destroyed St. Peter's Basilica? Would this not be a direct affront against the billion Catholics that inhabit the Earth?

Would the Catholics be able to restrain their anger against the terrorist, say for the say of argument, Islamic extremeists? Would the Catholics be able to act ...."Christian" after such a heinous attack against the man whom they believe to be Christ's "representative on Earth" and against the most sacred of Catholic sites? Could you blame the Catholics for a level of anger that exceeds that of Muslims outraged over cartoons?

Would such an act against the Catholic Church be the prelude to a global religious war? Catholic against Muslim? Would this be the start of a new "crusade"?

Would the battle lines be drawn for the end of times?

This is the question being asked in this thread and, of course, some of the accompanying queries that can easily be associated with the theme of this thread.

maybe they'll pop him in the head and he'll survive and then he can be the Antichrist and then I'll have to start praying or face luauas in hell with Satan everday...

I just hope Saddam doesn't get jealous cuz Satan is kinda hawt.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
A question still remains to be answered in this thread......What would happen if a terror attack against the Vatican killed the Pope and destroyed St. Peter's Basilica? Would this not be a direct affront against the billion Catholics that inhabit the Earth?

Hard to say..
I cant see all the worlds catholics taking up arms and rioting world wide.
I can say major condemnation, and public gatherings mourning the loss and ridiculing islam..

I can see Italy increasing its troop movements to various conflicts..And I can see all world leaders giving there mourning to rome, and the worlds catholics.

I think catholics are level headed enough to handle it, and maybe with minor pockets of violence will uphold general beliefs..

But when a muslim terorrist comes on TV, celebrating and chanting at the death of the pope.. thats when the crapolla will hit the fan.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
I don't see the Pope sending his mercenaries -- the Swiss Guard --

The Swiss Guard are there to physically protect the pope. They are also very ornamental. I highly doubt that any of them are up to 'mercenary' strength. Even if they were, there are definately not enough of them to even secure Rome let alone hunt down assassins world wide.

It would have to be some other group that we don't know about. IMHO