Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
According to the majority of the Church Fathers, the visible Authority of the Roman Emperor hinders the manifestation of the Antichrist. Only when the Imperial seat remains vacant then will the Antichrist be allowed manifest himself. The Church doctrine on the manifestation of the Antichrist and what hinders the same is found in the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians. This reading of II Thessalonians is part of Liturgy for the Saturday of Ember Week in Advent: Missa 'Veni et Ostende'.
Saturday of Ember Week in Advent: Missa 'Veni et Ostende'
EPISTLE ¤ II Thess. 2. 1-8
Lesson from the second Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians.
Brethren, We beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto Him: that you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition who opposeth and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God showing himself as if he were God. Remember you not that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh: only that he who now holdeth do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
The general Roman Catholic view or interpretation of the Lesson from the second Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians is as follows:
First: The final revolt against the authority of the Roman Emperor:
Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Second: The removal of the authority of the Roman Emperor, who is the one who withholdeth the manifestation of the antichrist:
And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8
Third: The usurpation of the Authority of the Roman Emperor by the antichrist:
Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4
The purpose of this site is to bring attention to this very fact that Saint Paul speaks only of the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians. And that the Roman Catholic Church has always held to this interpretation of St Paul: that it is the authority of the Roman Emperor is he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way, then will the Antichrist be made manifest. This site is the first of its kind to proclaim the desire to restore the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor to impede the manifestation of the Antichrist. This site is the vanguard of those who desire to restore the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor.
The following are previous posts from various Churchmen who wrote on this doctrine.
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI
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