Three Days of Darkness
The Three Days of Darkness is an eschatological prophecy (based on private revelation) within Roman Catholicism which parallels the Ten Plagues against Egypt in the Book of Exodus.[1] This belief is not endorsed by the Holy See.
Description
Just as God punished the Egyptians with plagues including the "three days of darkness", the theory states that God will chastise the world with darkness at the end of time. The earth will be enveloped by darkness lasting three days and three nights, the only light source that can be seen being blessed candles. Various Catholic visionaries agree that the faithful should stay within their homes during this period as most of the earth's inhabitants shall die.
Advocates
Many Catholic seers and mystics such as Saints Hildegard of Bingen, Gaspar del Bufalo, Padre Pio, Anna Maria Taigi, Elisabeth Canori Mora, Mariam Baouardi (Mary of Jesus Crucified), Rosa-Colomba Asdente, Palma d'Oria, Pere Lamy, Marie Martel, and Marie Julie Jahenny, have prophesied the Three Days of Darkness. However it is not endorsed by the Holy See.
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769–1837) is the most known seer of the Three Days of Darkness and describes the event in this way:
There shall come over the whole earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing can be seen, and the air will be laden with pestilence which will claim mainly, but not only, the enemies of religion. It will be impossible to use any man-made lighting during this darkness, except blessed candles. He, who out of curiosity, opens his window to look out, or leaves his home, will fall dead on the spot. During these three days, people should remain in their homes, pray the Rosary and beg God for mercy. All the enemies of the Church, whether known or unknown, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of a few whom God will soon convert. The air shall be infected by demons who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms.[2]
Marie-Julie Jahenny (1850-1941), known as the "Breton Stigmatist", expanded upon the story of the Three Days of Darkness, saying that it will occur on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday when all of Hell will be let loose to strike at those outside their homes and those without a lit blessed candle of 100% pure wax.[3]
Controversy
Adherents of the Three Days of Darkness are usually traditionalist Catholics or sedevacantists. The latter group hopes that a "true pope" will be miraculously designated by an apparition of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; this tangential belief assumes that the most recent pontiffs of the Church are in fact "antipopes". There is also controversy over whether the twentieth-century saint and stigmatist Saint Pio endorsed and taught on the future Three Days of Darkness as the authenticity of the alleged words of Saint Pio are disputed.[4][5]
See also
References
- ↑ Exodus 10:22 "And Moses extended his hand toward heaven. And a horrible darkness occurred- in all the land of Egypt for three days."
- ↑ Anna Maria Taigi, Private Prophecies (Rome, 1863).
- ↑ "We Are Warned: The Prophecies of Marie-Julie Jahenny" (December 1, 2011). PDF E-Book: www.scribd.com/doc/74402052
- ↑ Akin, James. "Padre Pio & Three Days of Darkness (disfavors authenticity)".
- ↑ "Padre Pio and the Three Days of Darkness (favors authenticity)".