The Secrets of La Salette    207 

Pope is then needed. After Christ ascends to Heaven (Second Ascension), 

then there can be a new Pope elected. 

17.   Civil rulers will have all one same design which will be to abolish, and 

to make disappear all religious principle, in order to make way for 

materialism, atheism, spiritualism and all kinds of vices.  

    These words apply mainly to the reign of the ten kings, which clears the 

way for the reign of Antichrist. During the 24th century, power in the world 

will become consolidated in the hands of only a few civil leaders. Each 

leader will rule over a large area (what would now comprise at least several 

nations).  Most of these leaders will be dictatorial,  but even the democratic 

leaders will have much power as individuals. They will all have the same 

intention in that they will want to have a kingdom based on material things, 

without true justice or faith in God. But they will not be united politically. 

There will be animosity and distrust between these ten leaders. Only in one 

of the ten kingdoms will Christianity still be tolerated and still have some 

degree of influence over politics (the kingdom of the South, which includes 

Israel, the Middle East, and northern Africa). But, at that time, even the 

kingdom of the South will have much injustice and sinfulness. 

    Later, during the early 25th century, Antichrist will first take the place of 

one of these ten kings, the king of the North (Europe). Then he will defeat 

three more kings. First, he will defeat the king of the South (in A.D. 2430). 

Then two more kings will be defeated (A.D. 2430/2431). After this the six 

remaining kings and the peoples of the world will give their allegiance to 

Antichrist (in  A.D. 2431). Then the world will be united under one evil 

government, headed by Antichrist. It is then that the nearly seven years of 

the Church's great suffering will begin. 

18.   In the year 1865, the abomination will be seen in holy places; in 

convents, the flowers of the Church will be decayed and the demon will 

make himself as the king of hearts. May those who are at the head of 

religious communities keep themselves on guard for persons whom they 

must receive, because the demon will use of all his malice in order to 

introduce into religious orders persons devoted to sin, for disorders and the 

love of carnal pleasures will be spread by all the earth.  

    Priests and religious come from the laity. Therefore, if there is much sin 

among the members of the Church, there will be much sin among the priests 

and religious of the Church. In that most evil of times, some of those who 

will seek to join the priesthood or the religious life will be persons who are