After the death of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals met at the Sistine Chapel to select the new leader of the Catholic Church. On May 8, 2025 after four ballots, they chose Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American pope born in Chicago, Illinois. Bob is now called Pope Leo the XIV. Bible prophecy tells about apostasy at the end of the Church age, the False Prophet, Mystery Babylon and Rome, Italy.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Revelation describes two women that are cities. New Jerusalem is the righteous bride of Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:1-2) and Mystery Babylon is the wicked mother of harlots which is false religion during the Tribulation (Revelation 17:5). Scholars list possible cities that may fulfill this prophecy.

End Time Map: Four Horses (Apostasy, Communism, Capitalism, Islam) + European Union

1. Babylon, Iraq - Islam is the green horse of death. It controls a quarter of the world's population (Revelation 6:7-8). During the Tower of Babel, the people rebelled against God (Genesis 11:4, 8-9). Babylon was destroyed by Media-Persia and never inhabited again. The spirit of Babylon refers to all false religions in the world.

Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there [Babylon], and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation (Jeremiah 50:39).

2. Jerusalem, Israel - God chose Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel but the Jews went into idolatry, killed many prophets and Jesus Christ. It is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8). Still, God will restore the Jewish people and Jerusalem will be the world's capital during the Millennium.

The Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south (Zechariah 14:3, 4).

3. New York City, United States - Capitalism is the black horse of trade in Revelation. New York is the economic capital of the world. The United States is in the Bible described by many events, symbols and dates. The eagle was born on the Golden Calf from a lion (Daniel 7:4). During the Tribulation, America falls so the German leopard, Russian bear and United Kingdom lion merge together into the beast. They give power to the Antichrist (Revelation 17:12-13).

I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard [Germany], and his feet were as the feet of a bear [Russia], and his mouth as the mouth of a lion [United Kingdom]: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority (Revelation 13:1-2).

Revelation is not sequential but a spiral of parallel events that have shorter time spans until the return of Jesus Christ. The Church Age began at Pentecost and ends at the Rapture. Seals began at the merger of Church and Roman State. Trumpets began with World War I. The Tribulation begins with a seven year covenant and World War III. The Unholy Trinity and World War IV begin half way through the Tribulation and then bowls start. Armageddon begins World War V. Seals, trumpets, Tribulation, Antichrist, bowls, Mystery Babylon and Armageddon end with lightning, thunder, earthquakes and great hail at the Second Coming. Since we are over one hundred years into the Laodicean period, four horses are on the run and five trumpets sounded before the Tribulation. The beginnings of three world wars are falling into place. We are so far into the End Times that we see Revelation being fulfilled.

References: 21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars, Chapter 20: Players in the Game, Chapter 21: Four Horses on the Run, Chapter 25: Iraq War III, 2025 Conclave, Pope Leo XIV, Prophecy of the Popes, Revelation Outline, Covenant, Tribulation, Revelation, 21st Century View, Daniel, America, Cities, Timeline of the Tribulation

There is a lot of speculation about who is the Antichrist. The Antichrist is a man but the Beast is his administration that controls the world (Matthew 4:8-9) The pope is not the Antichrist but a pope could be the False Prophet who causes the world to worship Antichrist (Revelation 13:11-12). Germany and Europe were divided into east and west in 1945 but its fatal would was healed in 1990.

In the non-biblical Prophecy of the Popes, St. Malachy describes 112 future popes from 1143 to 2013. Verse 110 describes Pope Benedict but Verse 111 leaves a gap for Pope Francis before 112 describes Pope Peter the Roman who leads during many tribulations and Rome is destroyed. The Bible tells us we are at the end of the Laodicean age of the Church Age.

Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End.
----The Prophecy of the Popes attributed to Saint Malachy 1094-1148

4. Rome, Italy - Rome is headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Apostasy in the Catholic and Protestant churches is the white horse of the Apocalypse. During the Tribulation, the False Prophet seizes organized religion to worship the Antichrist. Revelation 17-18 gives a description of Mystery Babylon.

The Roman Catholic Church is not the woman. After all Christians are raptured, all false religions reject Jesus Christ and merge into one world religion using the organization of the Catholic Church. However, the ten kings hate the woman. The Antichrist rules the Beast (world government). The False Prophet rules the second Beast/Woman (world religion). They control the people through the mark (world economy). Satan leads the Unholy Trinity of Antichrist and False Prophet.

At the end of the battle of Armageddon at the Second Coming, Mystery Babylon, who is the woman and city is destroyed.