As Catholics around the world mourn the death of Pope Francis who has passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, astrologists are claiming that Nostradamus made a prediction about his death which suggested the Catholic church’s standing in the world could be significantly weakened.

Writing in Les Prophéties in 1555, French astrologer Michel de Nostredame, better known as Nostradamus issued a number of grim prophecies for the future of humanity including ‘cruel wars’, natural disasters and the return of the plague.

Within his gloomy outlook was the death of a ‘very old’ Pope – as well as stark warning about the weakening of the Catholic Church.

On Easter Monday, the Vatican announced the death of the Argentine-born Pope, who had spent the last few weeks in hospital battling an illness that had developed into pneumonia.

Writing in his famed book of prophecies, the astrologer wrote: ‘Through the death of a very old Pontiff / A Roman of good age will be elected / Of him it will be said that he weakens his seat / But long will he sit and in mordant activity.’

Nostradamus also hinted at details of the successor of Pope Francis, writing, ‘A young man of dark skin with the help of the great king will deliver the purse to another of red colour.’

The prophecies have long been open to interpretation with many claiming they shouldn’t be taken too literally. However in light of Pope Francis’s death, some have interpreted the words to signify a shift in leadership within the Catholic Church.

The astrologer has previously been credited with accurately predicting countless major world events, including the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Covid pandemic.