Seven-Headed Papal Beast


\

Move your mouse over the image to view some notes. Click the image to view a larger version.

 

The text under the image reads:

"Gaze upon this seven-headed beast, quite in the shape and form as St John saw it, a beast from out of the deep, with seven different heads. It was crowned just as this papal beast, signifying the tonsures of the clerical folk. The beast also had ten horns, signifying spiritual jurisdiction and disturbance. It bore a blasphemous name, signifying its seductive tongue. The beast was like a leopard, signifying the murderous kingdom of the pope which executed by tyranny all who opposed him. The beast had feet like a bear's, signifying that the sweet Gospel is trodden underfoot by the papacy and buried, hidden and crushed. The beast has a lion's maw, signifying the papacy's broad hell-mouth, which can never be sated with indulgences, palliums, annates, excommunications, offerings, confessions, mass foundations; it has swallowed everything, rents and interest-payments, peoples, lands and kingdoms. The beast had received a mortal wound, signifying that Doctor Martin has struck the papacy a deadly blow. May God grant that it will soon be overthrown. Amen."