Chapter 13: The Two Beasts of Revelation

§ 2. On the War Which the Demon Made Through Muhammad, and Will Make Again Through Antichrist. Chapter 13, Verses 1–10

I. VERSE 1. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. VERSE 2. And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his strength and great power. This beast which rises up out of the sea is the empire of Muhammad, or the empire of the Turks, of which Daniel speaks in chapter 7, verse 7. It is said that this beast rises up out of the sea because its kingdom took birth between the seas; for Muhammad was first the chief of the Arabs.

This beast had seven heads, which signifies the universality of the kings who will govern this empire until the consummation of the ages. Its ten horns represent the universality of the kingdoms and provinces which are subject to this empire, and those which will still be subject to it in the time of Antichrist, as we shall see further on. The ten kings are those among whom this empire will one day be divided; and they will destroy it for a time and deliver it to the beast.

And upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. These ten diadems are royal crowns. The names of blasphemy are the titles of the Turkish emperors, which show astonishing pride and contain blasphemies against the majesty, glory, and honour of God, who alone is great, all-powerful, of infinite wisdom, Creator of heaven and earth, and Founder of all kingdoms. The names of blasphemy are also the Muslim sects and the Qur'an, or the law of Muhammad, in which falsehoods and monstrous blasphemies are contained.

It is said that these names of blasphemy are upon his heads because all those who will reign in this empire will be animated by the same spirit in favour of this sect; they will defend it by force and violence to prevent it from perishing. Finally, the names of blasphemy are the doctrine of Antichrist, who will be the last horn of this infernal beast, as we shall see in chapter 14.

And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. This beast is compared to the leopard because of its swiftness, power, strength, ferocity, and pride; because, during its reign, it will be very rapacious and very cruel toward all Christendom; and it will be so especially through its last horn, which will be Antichrist.

And his feet were as the feet of a bear. This is said because of the extent of his empire, which will be immense, especially under the last horn. The particular character of this monarchy was to invade and occupy everything; and when the Turks once laid siege to a city, they spared nothing to seize it, and did not raise the siege until after having carried it by assault, in order then to continue their devastations. It is said that this empire, so cruel and so formidable, has very strong and very large feet, like those of the bear, because it was to occupy kingdoms, provinces, cities, islands, and every kind of territory; and because Antichrist will tread under foot the Holy of Holies and all sacred objects, like a bear in fury.

And his mouth was as the mouth of a lion. For this empire will break and tear to pieces all the kingdoms of the earth, especially under the last horn. Daniel 7:7 and following: "I beheld afterwards in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with its feet. And it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before it, and had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out of the midst of them; and three of the first horns were plucked up at the presence thereof. And behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things."

Daniel continues: "After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible; his teeth and claws were of iron; he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he stamped upon with his feet. And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head; and concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell; and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was greater than the rest. I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and prevailed over them." And again: "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it under foot. And the ten horns of the same kingdom shall be ten kings; and another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the former, and he shall bring down three kings. And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the saints of the Most High; and he shall think himself able to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time. And judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be broken in pieces, and perish for ever."

Thus this beast, or this Turkish monarchy, will break and devour everything. The universe will be astonished by it; and it will become the scandal and ruin of souls.

And the dragon gave him his strength and great power. Satan can communicate his strength and power in two ways: first, by his assistance, by his evil counsels, and by producing supernatural effects — such was the power that he gave to Muhammad and to his empire; this first manner is extrinsic. The second is intrinsic, and it will take place when Satan will, so to speak, clothe himself with the body and soul of Antichrist, and will become one with him. Now God has never yet permitted this manner to Satan; but it will be granted to him in the son of perdition.

This is why Lucifer, who is the proudest creature that exists, always seeking in his jealousy to imitate the Divinity in all things, will enter into Antichrist, will form him, will possess him, and will, in some way, clothe himself with his body and soul from the moment of his conception in his mother's womb. He will subsist in him in an intrinsic manner and will dwell in him corporally, so that Antichrist, who according to Daniel 7:7 will be a terrible and wonderful beast, will work incredible prodigies by the strength and great power of Lucifer, by whom he will be possessed.

And just as the Word of God truly and hypostatically united Himself to human nature, and by this union the Divinity communicated to the humanity the strength and power to work miracles, in order to prove that He is truly the Son of God, so Satan will strive to demonstrate by great prodigies that the divinity dwells spiritually in Antichrist. And he will succeed in persuading almost all men of this, except those whose names are written in the book of life.

No one should imagine that I speak inconsistently by confusing the beast with Antichrist; for the prophets are accustomed, in their enigmas, to present and comprehend under one single figure several things which will happen at different times, when those things have some relation to one another. Now, since Muhammad and his successors, and especially Antichrist, who will be the final completion of all prevarication, have one common goal, which is to deny and destroy the holy Name of Jesus, it is consistent to say that all of them together are one moral body and one beast.

And it is especially to Antichrist that the name of the beast properly belongs, because he will be the most criminal and the most powerful of all the Turkish monarchs, and because his empire will be the last, the widest, and the most powerful; for his tyrannical reign will sum up all the others. He will rage and roar like a lion against the holy Name of Jesus; and he will tread under foot the Holy of Holies like a bear.

Finally, whoever denies that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came upon the earth and was made flesh like us, is an antichrist; and all those who act in this way constitute one single body, of which Antichrist, the son of perdition, is the head and the tail. Hence these words of 1 John 2:18: "As you have heard that Antichrist cometh, even now there are many antichrists." That is, he has come in his members and in his forerunners, while awaiting the time when he will come in person to consummate the prevarication.

II. VERSE 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were slain to death; and his death's wound was healed. And all the earth was in admiration after the beast. These words contain a hidden and difficult meaning. First, it is said that one of his heads was as it were wounded to death; that is, the beast will receive a mortal wound, because it will in fact happen that the Turkish Empire, or the empire of Muhammad, will suffer a great defeat and an almost complete ruin, to such a point that it will be as though annihilated, since there will remain from it only a portion, like a small kingdom.

But Antichrist will raise this empire up again; for he will occupy its throne and repair all its losses. He will even enlarge it immensely, much more than it ever was before. Antichrist will be born and will draw his origin from the remnants of this empire brought to ruin. One may see, in the prophecies cited above, that Daniel says the same thing when, speaking with great admiration of this little horn which rose up from the midst of the ten horns, he adds that it had eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth that spoke great things, and that this horn was greater than the others.

And his death's wound was healed. This will truly be accomplished by Antichrist, who will re-establish the reign of the nations which had previously fallen almost entirely into ruin. And this reign of Antichrist will be greater than all the other reigns of the earth since the origin of the world. This is also what Daniel says in chapter 7, verse 23: "The fourth kingdom shall be greater than all the kingdoms; it shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it under foot."

And all the earth was in admiration after the beast. The meaning of these last words is therefore that the whole universe, seeing this power of the beast rise above all earthly powers, will be in the greatest admiration. Men will be as though ravished in ecstasy because of his prodigies; and they will follow the beast — that is, the doctrine of Antichrist. They will do even more.

III. VERSE 4. And they adored the dragon who gave power to the beast; and they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who shall be able to fight with him? These words are connected in an admirable way with the preceding words. For all nations will adore Lucifer incorporated in Antichrist, since they will consider him to be the divinity and will believe that the divinity exists in him, because of his power and the great prodigies that he will work by the help of Lucifer, and also because of the knowledge, understanding, and great wonders which will come out of his mouth and which will be suggested to him by the prince of demons.

Lucifer is indeed the prince of demons, because he is raised above all the other infernal spirits by the most perfect qualities that evil angels can possess. And it is with the help of this astonishing power that the son of perdition will work the greatest prodigies. The true God, Creator of heaven and earth, will permit these wonders in order to chastise the men who, in those last days, will put the finishing touch to all prevarication. Thus, when men see these great prodigies of Antichrist, all nations will render worship to him and will adore him as God and the Messiah, just as we ourselves adore the Son of Man because of His Divinity.

Who is like to the beast, and who shall be able to fight with him? These words signify a universal apostasy, by which men will separate themselves from the God of heaven and earth, and especially from His Son made flesh, Jesus Christ. So it will be that all nations, the Jews, and even many Christians, seeing the power, wisdom, and great prodigies of this monster, will allow themselves to be seduced because of their wickedness and their enormous sins. For God will abandon them to their reprobate sense. And all these seduced men will say in their blindness: Who is like to the beast, and who shall be able to fight with him?

These words contain a horrible blasphemy against the God of heaven and against His Christ; that is, against the essence and almighty power of God, Creator of heaven and earth, whose second Person became man and dwelt among us. Now in those last days, the impious will dare to attribute these divine advantages to the son of perdition, because of the astonishing power and great prodigies which God will permit him to manifest. And they will adore Antichrist as God and the Messiah, saying: Who is like to the beast, and who shall be able to fight with him? These words are therefore the greatest blasphemy of which men can make themselves guilty against the God of heaven and earth and against His Christ; against the saints, His servants, His prophets, His martyrs; and against all that is most sacred. For they suppose that everything that exists and that comes from God is inferior to what comes from Lucifer; that is, inferior to the beast, which is the greatest monstrosity that has ever existed and that ever will exist. We find examples of this blasphemy in Pharaoh, and especially in Goliath.

IV. VERSE 5. And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given to him to act forty-two months. This passage and the following express the power which God will permit the beast to exercise, and because of which all nations will listen to him and will adore him as God. First, it is said: And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. Here the prophet designates the instrumental cause for the principal cause; and this cause is the great wisdom and astonishing knowledge which the dragon will communicate to Antichrist, in such a way that from his mouth will come things great, admirable, plausible in appearance, mysterious, and raised above all human intelligence. And it is above all by this that he will seduce all nations and lead them to believe that he is God and the Messiah — a mouth speaking blasphemies against the mysteries of the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation, against the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and against the whole New Testament.

And power was given to him to act forty-two months. These forty-two months are the time of the reign of the beast. If this time is applied to the Turkish Empire, it will last as many years as there are days in forty-two months, from its origin until Antichrist. And if it is applied to the reign of this son of perdition alone, the days must be counted according to their natural sense, so that the duration of this last reign will be three and a half years. Thus the Turkish Empire will last approximately as many years as the reign of Antichrist will last days, including the time when the beast will be as though wounded to death. For although the beast must be wounded to death — that is, although the Turkish Empire must suffer a great ruin — it will nevertheless not perish totally, and a seed of it will remain until the son of perdition comes to enter into the kingdom reserved for him.

VERSE 6. And he opened his mouth unto blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. It is said that the beast opened his mouth; that is, Antichrist, who had previously kept silent, will open his mouth when he is seated in the fullness of his reign. And he will speak not only by himself, but also by his false prophets and by his false apostles; and he will vomit hatred and blasphemy against God. Saint John designates especially three truths against which these blasphemies will be directed: His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

Thus Antichrist will blaspheme, first, the name of God, which belongs only to the Divinity and belongs to no other, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor in hell. He will no longer permit worship to be rendered to Him, as Christians do; and he will even forbid the holy Name to be pronounced. For it is in this way that the dragon will exercise his hatred and his perfidy against the Most High, to whom he once claimed to make himself equal.

Second, by the tabernacle, one understands the human nature with which the Divinity clothed itself, and to which it united itself hypostatically, continuing to be thus united in heaven and in the most holy Eucharist. Now it is against this tabernacle that Antichrist, with his followers, will vomit blasphemy; and he will cause all those to die who render worship to it, or who confess that God was made flesh, and that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, is the Messiah.

Third, and them that dwell in heaven — that is, the Apostles and the martyrs who suffered for the Name of Jesus while announcing Him to the world; likewise all Christians, and especially the doctors and preachers who will then live in the Church militant, which is often designated by heaven in Scripture. In a word, the beast will blaspheme against all those who will resist his perfidy and his power. These will be delivered over to the nations by Antichrist and by his followers, as Jesus Christ foretold in Saint Matthew 24:9: "Then shall they deliver you up to tribulation, and shall put you to death; and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake."

VERSE 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. This is understood first of Enoch and Elijah, as was explained in chapter 11. Next, it is understood of all those who will resist Antichrist, his false prophets, and his false apostles. Finally, these words apply to all those who will preach and confess the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ crucified. It is especially in those times that these words of Saint Paul may once again be applied: "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness."

But this victory of the beast which will rise from the abyss against the saints — that is, against just, pious, and God-fearing men — will only be passing and limited to this mortal life. It will consist, first, in the most refined prodigies and impostures, and in the applause given to the doctrine and great wisdom of Antichrist, which the Jews and all nations will believe unanimously. Men will prefer this doctrine to the one which Enoch and Elijah, with all the saints, will preach to them with one accord. Second, this victory will consist in the power and sinews of war; in the immense extent of the empire of Antichrist; and also in the impiety and perfidy of the nations and of the Jews, who will furnish all the occasions and all the necessary help to have the faithful immolated like sheep. For then, no one will be able to confess and preach the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, with impunity.

And power was given him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation. These words again indicate the power of this reign. This power will be such that there has never been its like since the beginning of the world. For all tribes, all nations, all tongues, and all peoples will be subject to Antichrist. From this one understands what the desolation of those days will be.

The tribes are the remnants of the Jews, who will all agree and understand one another in order to gather themselves together from all the corners of the world, where they had been dispersed for eighteen centuries, and will fly, so to speak, toward the son of perdition, from whom they will receive power, and whom they will recognise as the Messiah. They will rage with inexplicable fury against those who confess and preach the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ as being the true Messiah. For their fury, perfidy, and power will have been bound until the time of Antichrist. This is why Jesus Christ says expressly in Saint John 5:43: "I am come in the name of my Father, and you receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive."

By the peoples are designated the Christians who will defect in very great part, with the exception only of the elect, who will be few in number in proportion to the mass of these peoples. For almost all men will separate themselves from God their Creator, and from Jesus their infinitely lovable Redeemer, in order to give themselves over to the idolatry of the beast. This is what the Saviour Himself foretells in Luke 18:8: "But when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?"

By every tongue, the prophet makes us understand that in those sad days there will be no nation, and no tongue under the sun, which will not consent to adore the beast and adhere to the son of perdition, thus abandoning God their infinitely perfect Creator and their lovable Redeemer. O frightful ingratitude, which no tears could sufficiently deplore! By every nation, it is given to us to understand that, just as from the beginning of the world and from the origin of the Church of Christ, the Eastern and Northern nations never preserved the faith for long, and continually made war among themselves, as history demonstrates, so also, and especially toward the end of times, all these nations will league themselves with Antichrist, and will be animated by his spirit and his fury in order to exterminate Christendom, so easily will they let themselves be seduced by the false miracles and prodigious lies of the beast.

VERSE 8. And all that dwell upon the earth adored him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, which was slain from the beginning of the world. This verse confirms that all the reprobate will render the worship of adoration to the beast, and will separate themselves from God their Creator and from Christ. Those whose names are written in the book of life are the elect. And the book of life is the foreknowledge of God, the searcher of hearts: that foreknowledge by which God has disposed His kingdom from all eternity, and has willed to give to each one according to his works. This is why the Apostle Saint Paul says in Romans 8:30: "Whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. And whom he predestinated, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

This book of life, according to our understanding, is like the catalogue of a teacher who records all the progress of his students in knowledge and in virtue, and who gives a public reading of it at the end of the school year. Then each one of those who are worthy rises higher, or receives prizes and praises. Now it is in the same way that God will proceed at the end of the world in the universal judgment. For then it will be demonstrated that He does injustice to no one, but rewards each one according to his works: the good will obtain paradise as reward, and the wicked will have hell as punishment; for their works follow them, according to the words of the Apocalypse itself, chapter 14, verse 13. One may also draw a comparison from a king who has defeated his enemies and won over them a decisive victory; afterward he distributes rewards to the citizens and soldiers who behaved well in danger, and he punishes or humiliates those who showed themselves cowardly or traitorous toward the fatherland.

The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world. These words contain the cause of the death of Jesus and of His immolation upon the Cross. And this cause is the sins of the human race, sins committed from the creation of the world, and for the expiation of which Jesus Christ died upon the Cross, in order to reconcile all men with God His Father. This is what Isaiah prophesied in chapter 53, verse 4: "Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows; and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted."

If, therefore, the Father willed that His own Son, God like Him and with Him, should be delivered into the hands of the impious and should die for our sins by a cruel and ignominious death, what have we to complain of? Must we then be so astonished if He also permits the impious and tyrants to prevail against His Church and against ourselves, since their persecutions have no other result for us than to correct us, justify us, and make us arrive more quickly at the sovereign happiness of eternal life? That is why God permits the impious to prevail in the present life, while the just and all those who show zeal for the cause of God are oppressed and fall beneath the blows of the wicked. This is what God will permit especially in the time of Antichrist toward whoever will fight for the Name of Jesus Christ, whether by arms, by taking part, for example, in the army of Christians, or by speech, or by some other means. For then the just man will succumb before the power of the beast and will be immolated.

It is to make the Church and the faithful understand well the truth of this divine permission, and to convince the whole Christian society of it, that the prophet adds: VERSES 9 AND 10. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that shall lead into captivity shall go into captivity; he that shall kill by the sword must be killed by the sword. To lead into captivity and to kill by the sword is proper to soldiers and warriors. The meaning of these words is therefore this: every king, every prince, or every Christian people who will wish to resist the beast by force of arms will succumb, will be killed, or will be led into captivity.

Since the end of the world will be very near in those times, God will permit all those holy and courageous soldiers who fight for justice and truth to be conquered and immolated as victims, in order to complete the number of the martyrs. Thus, in those days of sorrow, there will be no power and no victory to hope for, except the most beautiful of all victories: the triumph of martyrdom. For no army will be able to face that of the beast. The Jews will especially be very powerful and very numerous then; they will rage with a wholly particular fury against all those who dare to confess before all nations the Name of Jesus Christ crucified.

Thus the only victory possible for Christians in those terrible days will be to be conquered, persecuted, tormented, and put to death, while remaining faithful, constant, and firm, and while hoping, against all hope, in the faith of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Saint John adds: Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Jesus Christ alluded to this last and astonishing desolation of Christians by an allegory when He ordered His disciples, during His Passion, to buy swords; and also when, addressing Saint Peter, He said in Matthew 26:52: "Put up again thy sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword."

This completes Book Six, Section I, § 2: Revelation 13:1–10.

§ 3. On the Abominable and Wicked Idolatrous Antipope, Who Will Tear Apart the Western Church and Cause the First Beast to Be Adored. Chapter 13, Verses 11–18

I. VERSE 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. This beast which will rise up from the earth is a false prophet who will proclaim the son of perdition as being the Christ; and he will be, as it were, his arm, by whose help Antichrist will work astonishing things, both by signs and by the power of his arms. This is why Daniel 11:42 says: "And he shall stretch forth his hand upon the lands."

It is said that this other beast will rise up from the earth because Antichrist and his own will exercise their tyranny in the East and between the seas, whereas the false prophet will rise up, prevail, and rage upon the mainland, which is near the seas, and upon which the Roman Empire is now found, containing within itself the states of the Church. It is said that this beast will have two horns like those of the Lamb because he will be an apostate Christian, and because he will rise up secretly and fraudulently.

He will gather together the Jews, who will be everywhere very numerous in those days, and they will attach themselves unanimously to his party. He will invade the states of the Church with a great army, will occupy the pontifical see, will kill the last pope, the legitimate successor of Saint Peter, and will shed the blood of Christians, especially prelates, like water, around Jerusalem. Then the Church will be scattered into solitudes and desert places, into forests and mountains, and into the clefts of rocks, because the shepherd will have been struck and the sheep will be scattered. For it will be as it was at the time of the Passion of Our Lord — Jesus Christ alluded to this circumstance of the last desolation when He said during His Passion, Matthew 26:31: "It is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed." Then the Latin Church will be torn apart; and, with the exception of the elect, there will be a total defection from the faith.

This false prophet will proclaim the son of perdition as being the Christ. Saint John also remarks that this other beast had two horns like those of the Lamb, because of the power he will have to say and to do marvellous and astonishing things, as it is truly written concerning Jesus of Nazareth in Luke 24:19: "That he was a prophet, mighty in work and word before God and all the people." Now these two powers of Jesus Christ, to speak and to act, were like two horns, as we have said in chapter 5; and it was with these two horns that He fought and conquered the Jews and the nations.

The false prophet will therefore have a power that will seem almost similar in appearance, but false in reality; for he will hold this power not from God, but from the dragon of the abyss, and he will use it to seduce and deceive the inhabitants of the earth. This is why it is added: And he spoke as a dragon. That is, the dragon will communicate to him such wisdom and such cunning in the art of speaking and seducing men that it will be as if the dragon himself, in person, were conversing in the world.

Finally, these two horns are the Law and the Prophets. And just as the Law and the Prophets contain the most beautiful and numerous testimonies concerning the truth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth crucified, by which the Lord Himself convinced the disciples of Emmaus that He is the Christ, the Son of God, according to Luke 24:27: "Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things that were concerning him," so this idolater, the most wicked possible, will make use of these two testimonies, the Law and the Prophets, and will place them, so to speak, upon his head like two horns, with which he will fight through himself and through his own.

He will demonstrate by false but captious proofs that the Christ has come only in those days, and not before. "The Christ," he will say, "is the redeemer of the Jewish nation, the God of the nations; the Christ is the king of Jerusalem." And he will confirm these assertions by such prodigies that the great majority of Christians will be seduced by this scandal; and almost all, except the elect, who will be few in number compared with the mass, will defect and deny the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth crucified. But before this, the principal pastors of souls will have been taken away from their flocks by persecution and martyrdom, according to Daniel 11:32 and following.

VERSE 12. And he exercised all the power of the first beast in his presence. That is, this beast will have all the power of darkness, like the son of perdition. It is by means of this power that he will work prodigies and seduce all nations; and because of this, men will believe that Antichrist is the Christ recently come into the world. For this false prophet will be animated by the same spirit as the son of perdition, and will be subject to him. He will sustain his honour and glory against everything and everyone, with the greatest zeal. Hence these words: And he exercised all the power of the first beast in his presence — these words indeed signify the honour and glorification which one man procures for another man by working wonders, in order to exalt his authority before the world.

From this follows: And he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to adore the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. Thus this apostate will cause the earth and those who dwell upon it to adore the first beast: first, by submitting many countries to his domination by force of arms; second, by persuasion, by inducing men to render true worship of adoration to the king of Jerusalem as being the true God and the expected Messiah. Now, how will he succeed in making so many peoples and nations, and even Christians themselves, fall into such madness and such a crime? Here is how:

VERSE 13. And he did great signs, so that he made fire come down from heaven unto the earth in the sight of men. VERSE 14. And he seduced them that dwell on the earth, by the signs which it was given him to do in the presence of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and lived. VERSE 15. And it was given him to give life to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speak, and that whosoever would not adore the image of the beast should be slain.

All these things will be fulfilled literally. Truly frightful will be all the prodigies that God will permit at that time, in punishment for the sins of men and for the trial of His elect. Moreover, this apostate will work these wonders largely by the occult power of the demon. For the demon will then be more powerful than he has ever been since the beginning of the world. This is why he will also succeed in seducing many Christians.

As for this image of the beast, this is what it will be: the continual sacrifice will be suppressed throughout the whole earth. All consecrated hosts will be searched for with great care, in order to trample them underfoot, throw them into the fire, or make them undergo other still more scandalous outrages. And the principal authors of these scandals will especially be the Jews, who will prevail everywhere. They will destroy the altars; they will deliver the priestly vestments and the ornaments of the churches to the flames.

The relics of the saints will also be trampled underfoot; the precious vessels will be gathered together and destined to become the image of the beast, that is, of Antichrist, king of Jerusalem. The demon will dwell in these altars erected in his honour and for his worship. And these images will speak and give signs as though they were alive. Such will be the abomination of desolation of which Jesus Christ speaks in Matthew 24:15: "When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet," etc.

In those days, Christians will be searched for and dragged before the altars of the beast, in order to make them adore it, and to make them recognise by this act that Antichrist is the Christ; that he is God coming to visit his people, to gather them from their dispersion among the nations; and that he has come to deliver the Jews from the yoke and servitude of Christians. All those who refuse to adore him will be tormented and put to death by the most refined and horrible tortures. For the beast will have the upper hand everywhere. The power of his arms will be such that there will remain no hope of safety for Christians, and no other victory to expect, except the tortures and death of martyrdom.

A faint image of this persecution is found in that of King Antiochus, in 1 Maccabees 1, who was himself a true type of Antichrist; and also in the tyranny of Diocletian. But Antichrist will far surpass them. For then the Church will be scattered like a book torn into a thousand pieces and thrown into the fire. Read the first book of Maccabees, chapter 1, and you will have a vivid image of those last days. Recall also the times of Diocletian and Maximian, when they began to put into execution their plan of exterminating the whole of Christendom. But be well persuaded that in all this, you will find only the shadow or figure of what will happen under the reign of Antichrist. Hence this passage of Matthew 24:21: "Then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be."

This persecution will differ especially from the preceding ones because it will be the cruellest and the most extensive, and because in it there will take place an incredible seduction of men by prodigies capable of deceiving even the elect, if that were possible. Moreover, it will surpass all the preceding persecutions by the defection of almost the whole universe; and this will happen because of the most refined, the longest, and the most painful tortures that can be imagined. Men will be terrified by them; and it will be in order to avoid them that they will sacrifice their souls by adoring the beast. This is why there will be few men who will persist in confessing the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ crucified. Hence these words of the impious themselves, which Saint John prophesied: "Who is like to the beast, and who shall be able to fight with him?"

VERSE 16. And he shall make all, both small and great, rich and poor, free men and bondmen, to have the character of the beast in their right hand and on their foreheads. VERSE 17. And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. VERSE 18. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred sixty-six.

These words contain, first, the torment of hunger, by which Christians will see themselves condemned to die. For they will not be able to buy or find the food necessary for life, unless they consent to adore the idol or image of the beast. And since hunger is a torment all the more cruel because it kills its victim more slowly, this means will be one of the most effective of all those which Antichrist and his followers will use to force men to adore the idol of abomination. Second, these words also indicate the cessation of all traffic and commerce for those who refuse to perform this act of idolatry. And this means can also be counted among the most powerful upon the heart and will of man, as daily experience clearly demonstrates to us, especially in the middle class. For there is nothing that men do not attempt or sacrifice in order to make their trade and commerce prosper. One sees, therefore, how many men this means will draw into defection and idolatry.

As for the character of the beast, this is what it will be: kings and princes, on the occasion and in remembrance of their birth, their ascension to the throne, or some other remarkable event, have gold, silver, or bronze medals struck, and have their name, the years of their reign, and the insignia of their royalty engraved upon them. Now Antichrist will do something similar, but in a still more cruel manner; for all those who adhere to his doctrine will have to bear his character: men of the higher class on the right hand, and those of the people on the forehead. This character will be imprinted upon the skin by means of tattooing, almost as one sees on the arms of certain hired soldiers.

And whoever presents himself, willingly or by force, to offer incense to the idol of the beast, will immediately have to undergo this operation and receive, on the hand or on the forehead, according to his condition, the impression of the figure of the idol. From then on, it will be enough for him to show it in order to enjoy complete liberty to sell, to buy, to travel, to attend to his affairs, and so forth. Whereas those who do not bear this sign will not dare to appear in public, nor even to occupy themselves with the things most necessary for life. For every man who does not bear this sign, if he is discovered, will be seized, mistreated, and dragged before the idol; and if he refuses to adore it, he will undergo a horrible martyrdom.

This will certainly be a well-laid snare. And so that it may not fail to have its effect, since everything will be subject to the power of the beast, altars will be erected everywhere: in seaports, in cities, in public or commercial squares, along the roads, and so forth. These altars will be guarded by armed force, so that all those who appear in public to sell, to buy, or for any other affair whatever, and who are recognised as not having the character of the beast, will immediately be led by force before the nearest altar. And if they do not consent to burn incense and receive the character of the beast, they will be mutilated and devoured by this fierce beast.

Now the heroism of true Christians in those times of trial and of the greatest desolation that can be imagined will be to die for the faith and for the love of Jesus. Oh, how terrible that martyrdom will be, but also how glorious! With what interest the saints of heaven will contemplate that admirable and heroic struggle of their brothers, in which the patience of the victim will contend with the ferocity of the beast! And when the blood of testimony shall have caused a perfume of pleasing odour to rise from earth to heaven, a new struggle will be, as it were, engaged between the witnesses of the earth and the witnesses of heaven. For while the saints in heaven will crown the triumph of the victim over the cruelty of the beast, the impious, on their side, will proclaim upon earth, by infernal vociferations, the triumph of the beast over the life of the victim.

O love of Jesus, how powerful You are! For You, the Christian passes from life to death; and by You, he passes from death to life. O what a sweet moment for the Bridegroom, contemplating from the height of heaven His beloved bride in her constancy, perseverance, love, and victory upon earth! It is then that He will address to her these tender words from the Canticle of Canticles 4:11: "Thy lips, O my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb; honey and milk are under thy tongue, and the smell of thy garments is as the smell of frankincense." "Thy plants are a paradise of delights." "The fountain of thy gardens is a well of living waters, which run with a strong stream from Lebanon." "Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind; blow through my garden, and let the aromatical spices thereof flow."

Saint John indicates six classes of men whom the beast will force to bear his character. They are: the small and the great, the rich and the poor, free men and slaves. Nothing in this book is written without reason, and every word contains wisdom. By the small are designated the children who will be born in that time, or who will have been born and baptised shortly before; for the son of perdition and his false prophets will abolish every baptism made in the Name of the Holy Trinity. They will take care to force all children and young people of both sexes to receive the character of the beast on the forehead, and to reject the baptism instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth crucified.

As for newborn children, they will be prevented from being baptised, or the character of the beast will be imprinted upon their forehead; and all parents who are discovered to have procured baptism for their children will be horribly massacred. Hence this prophecy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:19: "Woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days." By the great are designated adults; and by the rich are designated princes, great men, and the higher class. The poor indicate the common class of the people in general. Free men are the citizens of the republics of that time. Finally, by slaves one understands hired workers, domestic servants, servant women, and, in general, wage-servants and day-labourers. All these wretches will accept the character and will adore the image of the beast.

And no man shall be able to buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. All these different designations refer to the same object or to the same name, and here is how: this character of the beast will be, as has been said, a certain sign which the followers of Antichrist will bear on the hand or on the forehead. Now this sign is called a character because it will be imprinted on the skin and will contain certain letters of a certain language. Moreover, this sign is called a name because these letters will in fact express and form a name; and this name will be that of the beast. Finally, this sign will designate a number because the letters of this sign, taken separately, will signify or represent numbers; and the numbers of each letter added together make 666, which is the number of a man, the number of his name, and the number of the years in which he will be born.

Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred sixty-six. Here Saint John provokes the human mind to resolve this enigma. One must first know that the book of the Apocalypse was written by Saint John in the Greek language. Now that language does not possess a word expressing this number 666; but the Greek name Antemos, which is composed of two words, means, first, contrary; and second, this word contains, by the letters of which it is formed, the number 666. For it is among the Greeks as among the Latins: certain letters signify a certain number. And this is why the Latin interpreter of the Apocalypse did not express this name according to its meaning; rather, he interpreted its number, and instead of the name he put: And his number is six hundred sixty-six.

This Greek name Antemos is an adjective, and is given to the son of perdition by antonomasia; that is, it designates the quality or manner of being of Antichrist, who will indeed be contrary to Christ and to everything that belongs properly to God. This is why Our Saviour gave him the name Antichrist, a name composed of anti, which signifies in Latin contra, and in English "against," and of Christos, which signifies Messiah, that is, the promised One, the Saviour of the world. Thus this name Antemos will not be his proper name. But the name which he will usurp will be that of Christ; and it is before this name that every knee will bow before him upon earth.

Hence these warnings, more than once repeated, which the Saviour addresses to us, Matthew 24:23: "Then if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold I have told it to you beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you: Behold, he is in the desert, go ye not out; Behold, he is in the closets, believe it not." These words are spoken in an enigmatic sense. This desert and this most hidden place of the house can be understood of Jerusalem and Judea, which is a desert that the absence of the sun of faith has made arid; and Jerusalem is truly the most hidden place and the centre of the house of Israel. For when Saint John the Baptist preached penance in Judea, it is said that his voice was the voice of one crying in the desert.

Therefore, this character of the beast will consist in certain Hebrew letters which will be imprinted on the right hand or on the forehead of men, and which will signify in Greek and in Latin Christus, the Christ. Now, since he will not be the Christ, but Antichrist — that is, contrary to Christ in all things — this is why Saint John said in Greek that his name is the number of a man, and his number is Antemos; that is, contrary to Christ, or Antichrist, as Our Saviour calls him. This is why the Latin interpreter contented himself with expressing this name by the number which these Greek letters, Antemos, added together, constitute; that is, six hundred sixty-six. Indeed, the Greek letter alpha equals 1, nu equals 50, tau equals 300, epsilon equals 5, mu equals 40, omicron equals 70, and sigma equals 200; and all these numbers added together make 666.

Now this number 666 is a number of months, making fifty-five and a half years; and it is the number of the years of the beast, that is, of the epoch of his birth and the duration of his life. For in the middle of the year of Jesus Christ 1855, in the nineteenth century, Antichrist will be born, and he will live fifty-five and a half years. And it is during the last three years of his life and during the last six months — that is, during three and a half years — that he will rage with the greatest fury against Christendom; and that, in agreement with his false prophet the antipope, he will exterminate the Church, scatter the flock of Jesus Christ, and conquer and kill all the faithful by the power given to him for forty-two months over every tribe, every people, every tongue, and every nation, to make war against the saints of God and to conquer them during the time when he will be seated in the fullness of his reign.

Thus, in the year 1911, the days of the beast — that is, of Muhammadism — will be accomplished; and the son of perdition will be killed in the middle of the fifty-sixth year of his life by the breath, that is, by the word which will come out of the mouth of Jesus of Nazareth crucified. Then the remnants of the Jews will be converted and will say: "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Afterward the firmament will be dissolved and broken with great violence; and Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. Matthew 24:36: "But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not even the angels of heaven, but the Father alone," says Jesus Christ.

This completes Book Six, Section I, § 3: Revelation 13:11–18, and with it Chapter Thirteen in its entirety.