I'll break the taboo and double post (just this once) because I've an amusing thing to post.
According to an old and discredited prophecy, there was a list of all the popes that would come until the end of times. The list actually consisted of a series of short, prophetic phrases that would reveal some distinctive traits about the various Popes to come.
This list is nowadays widely believed to be a forgery, and that is the official position of the catholic church AFAIK. That still doesn't stop people from trying to read something into them, because we all like to play divination every now and then. Each time a Pope assumes, people try to get some clues as to whom will he be and what will he do once in power.
Of course, being the forgery it is, most of the prophecies aren't exactly right, to say the least. But every now and then, one of them results unnervingly accurate. For instance, Pope Benedict XVI's prophecy said "Gloria olivae" (the glory of the olive). Benedict XVI earned himself a reputation of being a man dedicated to peace (amongst many other not-so-nice things he earned as a reputation).
So, what's the catch of the story? Well, it just so happens to be that Benedict XVI was the second to last in the list. The last in the list, a Pope the prophecy tells scary things about, has been known popularly for many years as "the Black Pope". And for many years, people have been seeing the Black Pope pretty much everywhere (Obama being an example).
Now, Bergoglio has an interesting peculiarity. Apart from all that's been said so far, he's a Jesuit. Jesuits are the only catholic order that wears black. Interesting, isn't it?
Here you can read all the prophecies (including the one about the last Pope). It's worth noting, most prophecies have to be stretched quite a bit to believe them. Moreover, there ARE disagreements about this list being complete anyway. However, it does make an interesting horror story to tell. Especially before bedtime.
Here's the prophecy about the current Pope, and you can read in the previous link about the name discrepancy.
"Petrus Romanus, qui paſcet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus tranſactis ciuitas ſepticollis diruetur, & Iudex tremẽdus iudicabit populum ſuum. Finis."
Translation:
"Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [i.e. Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End."
Sleep well...
