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THE HAUNTING PREDICTION OF A 19TH CENTURY MYSTIC
The words of Blessed Anna-Katarina Emmerick seem almost eerie. She was a well-known Augustinian nun and mystic in the 19th century. She bore the stigmata. Allegedly, she had the gift of prophecy. And on June 1, 1821, she described a vision in which she saw "nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound. I also saw the Holy Father -- God-fearing and prayerful. Nothing left to be desired in his appearance, but he was weakened by old age and by much suffering. His head was lolling from side to side, and it dropped onto his chest as if he were falling asleep. He often fainted and seemed to be dying. But when he was praying, he was often comforted by apparitions from Heaven. Then, his head was erect, but as soon as it dropped again onto his chest, I saw a number of people looking quickly right and left, that is, in the direction of the world."
