Who Was Nostradamus?
Born in 1503 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, Nostradamus wanted to be a great scholar, though he was only able to attend university for one year before the school closed due to an outbreak of the plague. For years, he worked as a plague doctor, but he also wrote an almanac in 1550, which was widely respected around the country.
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After writing the almanac, Nostradamus’ prophetic skills became extremely popular among the French elite. He was often paid large sums of money to tell the wealthy just what their futures held based on their horoscopes.
Nostradamus’ Les Prophéties
The book of prophecies was written not solely based on Nostradamus’ astrological findings. He also used literary and historical precedents in order to make his predictions all the way up until the year 3797.
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When the book was released in 1555, it received mixed reviews. Those who had turned to Nostradamus for astrological readings believed completely in his ability to read and predict the future, while others saw him as nothing but a quack.
Are Nostradamus’ Predictions Reliable?
Researchers and experts claim that within his prophecies, Nostradamus made four predictions for the year 2023. However, it’s important to note that these predictions are never specific; in fact, they are usually extremely vague.
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Many argue that due to the vague vocabulary and the low-quality English translations of the work, one could essentially hear whatever it is they wanted to hear from the text. Nonetheless, there are still academics and laymen alike who believe Nostradamus’ predictions can and should be believed.
Nostradamus’ First Prediction for 2023
The first prediction Nostradamus writes for the year 2023 states, “that man will eat his fellow man,” as the price of wheat will be so high that humankind will not be able to afford to eat anything but each other.
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Now, most scholars have not interpreted this prediction literally. Very few believe cannibalism is on the horizon. The much more likely, and more believed theory is that the prophecy refers to a global economic crisis.
Global Economic Crisis in 2023
There is no doubt that the world is certainly facing financial struggles. While there is more money on our planet than ever before, millions, if not billions, of people are living with less than they need to survive.
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Hopefully, no one ends up actually eating each other. But Nostradamus may have been right on this one! Humans might just start fighting each other if resources, such as money, don’t become more readily available to the masses.
Nostradamus’ Second Prediction for 2023
The French astrologer’s second prediction is slightly more specific: he stated that the year 2023 will see a “great war” that lasts “seven months.”
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While the War in Ukraine rages on, most believe that this is not the war Nostradamus was speaking to and that the real World War III may just start this year.
Is WW3 Imminent?
Of course, Nostradamus’ prophecy of a “great war” is only affirming what much of the world already believes, which is that WW3 is imminent. Today, many people are predicting that the superpowers of the world are doomed for yet another war that will kill millions of the planet’s population.
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However, with only a few months left until 2024, if Nostradamus’ prediction is to come true on time, WW3 would have to start very soon.
Nostradamus’ Third Prediction for 2023
The third prophecy is slightly less clear than that of the “great war.” It says that the world will experience a “celestial fire” and that the “light of Mars will go out.”
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Some researchers believe that the “celestial fires” could very well refer to the incredible increase of wildfires our planet has experienced this year, while others think that it more generally refers to the climate change issue and the warming of planet Earth.
Will the “Light of Mars” Go Out?
There also seems to be quite a bit of debate and certainly no definitive answer as to what the Mars prediction really means.
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Some say that it has to do with humankind’s attempts to land and even start a colony on Mars. Though with Elon Musk’s Mars project on hold, it doesn’t seem humans will be heading up to Mars, let alone turning off its lights, whatever that means, in 2023.
Nostradamus’ Fourth Prediction for 2023
The final prediction for the year 2023 is that the world will see a new “threatening leader,” apparently, at the head of the Catholic Church.
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As everyone knows, the leader of the Catholic Church is the Pope, and the current Pope is none other than Pope Francis. While Pope Francis may not be perfect, he is generally beloved and certainly not seen as “threatening.” But there are still a few months left for the seat to change hands.
What Will Happen to Our World?
Nostradamus is not the only person to attempt to predict the future, though his prophecies have been widely regarded and studied for centuries.
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Of course, no one really knows what will happen this year or in the years to come. Scholars and academics can study history and literature, listen to prophets, and read the stars, but for now, most of us will simply have to wait to see what happens next.