The Nostradamus Predictions

by Lavanya Trichinopoly – Krishna

Sixteenth Century French astrologer Michel de Nostradame, more commonly known as Nostradamus, is renowned for his controversial prophecies, which span millennia.

Although his predictions have been criticised for only becoming clear in hindsight, many enthusiasts have attributed quatrains from his book Les Prophecies (‘The Prophecies’) as a foretelling of major world events, including the rise of Hitler and 9/11.

So what does Nostradamus say is in store for us over the next ten years?

In between telling us how brief being a celebrity is (but failing to mention how much cash one can collect in such a short time) and warnings about the coming of the third Antichrist (the first two are believed to be Hitler and either Napoleon or Stalin, but the third not, I repeat, NOT, Simon Cowell), Nostradamus’s predictions fall into three general categories that seem relevant today.

The first is the environment and resources. In a world that is now more aware than ever about the effects of global warming – and one that went eco-mad in the noughties – Nostradamus warns of drought, famine and ecological disaster in the new decade.

He says that “the heat of Venus will harry all of Africa” in 2011, which some interpretations claim may result in cannibalism, and in 2015 the whole world will escape a famine; no doubt a wink at Bob Geldof to start planning his next venture – Live Eat perhaps?

If interpretations of Nostradamus are to be believed, those living around the Aegean Sea may want to consider emigrating before 2016, when “Such a great and sudden flood will occur that there will be no land left to cling to” (quatrain 8/16) – another consequence of human actions.

Religious predictions

In the noughties the Catholic Church became a topic of interest thanks to the success of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code series.

It also sparked controversy as a result of Pope John Paul II successor’s membership to the Hitler Youth during World War Two and the discovery that “in the last 50 years somewhere between 1.5 per cent and five per cent of the Catholic clergy has been involved in sexual abuse cases” (as announced by Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi in late 2009).

Unfortunately for Pope Benedict XVI, his future seems bleak with Nostradamus having predicted his death in 2012.

His successor, “a young man” who “will attain high office” in 2014 (quatrain 4/14), according to interpretations, will cause scandal in the church throughout 2017, that will only be resolved in 2020.

One example of this is described in quatrain 3/17: “When the leader chases out his nephew, Church people will cause scandals”, which some say refers to the young and liberal Pope kicking out his would-be successor.

Add to all this a reigniting of the abortion debate (which we all hope is the only sex-related clergy scandal), and the next ten years will force much more religious discussion amongst the masses.

America

The final topical area is America.

The election of Barack Obama as president excited many people in the last decade (especially us 24 fans; R.I.P. President David Palmer), and filled many of us with the anticipation of a new and exciting time.

It’s unlikely, however, that “the masculine woman” who will “exert herself to the north” (quatrain 8/15) in 2015 will cause quite as much elation now that a "change" has already happened.

This woman, who author of Nostradamus: The Complete Prophecies for The Future Mario Reading suggests refers to Hillary Clinton as the first female president, “will annoy nearly all of Europe and the rest of the world” (quatrain 8/15), causing more conflict.

Naturally, this would not help the current ill feeling of groups such as Al-Qaeda towards the United States, and if quatrain 8/17 refers to this then some may be right in interpreting a temporarily successful attack on a US naval base in 2017.

However much people rant and rave about Nostradamus’s predictions, they are flawed.

Not only are they are deliberately cryptic and in no specific order, but an analysis of his prophecies for his own century by Bernard Chevignard showed that out of 6,338 predictions with specific dates, only around 5.73 per cent were accurate.

Peter Lemesurier says in his book ‘Nostradamus in the 21st Century’ that historian and classicist Roger Prévost “successfully demonstrated that many, if not all, of Nostradamus’s better known Propheties were based on past events drawn from ancient histories and medieval chronicles”.

Nevertheless the prophecies still play an important role in today’s society, and there’s no doubt that whether you’re a fanatic or a sceptic whenever a big event occurs, Nostradamus will be the first name on many people’s lips.