Anna Katherine Emmerich, "The Nun of Dulmen", was a German ecstatic visionary and stigmatic, born in Flamske in Westphalia on September 4, 1774. She died in February 1824. In 1802, at age 28, she entered the Augustine convent at Agnetenburg (Dulmen). She was zealous, and her ecstasies and other spiritual manifestations disturbed her more serene sisters. When the convent closed in 1812, she found refuge in the house of a poor widow. She became bedridden in 1813, and began to show stigmata such as crosses on her breast and the wounds of Christ. In 1817, a scrupulous investigation by an episcopal committee determined her stigmata to be genuine. (8, 9)

In 1819, the poet Klemens Brentano was induced to visit Anna, and he was astounded when she recognized him; he had been shown to her in a vision as the man who would enable her to fulfill God's command to put in writing the revelations made to her, for the benefit of human souls. This Brentano did with great care.

Anna Emmerich said that the Papacy will be replaced by a council of twelve new apostolic disciples who will merge with the people and bring forth a renewal of spiritual life after World War III. In 1820, Anna received this vision:

"All around me I see a terrible, bloody war, which approaches from Midnight, the North, and Evening, the East. I heard that Lucifer -- if I am not wrong, would be let go for a time, fifty or sixty years before the year 2000. I saw the earth covered with darkness, everything was withered and barren, everything made the impression of pining away. It seems that even the waters of the springs were exhausted. I saw how the labor of darkness multiplied among the people, I saw countries and people in the greatest of distress, and fighting each other violently. In the center of the battleground was a giant abyss, into which the warring factions seemed to fall.

A pale faced man floated slowly over the earth and, loosening the cloths which wrapped around his sword, he t"hrew them on sleeping cities, which were bound by them. This figure also dropped pestilence on Russia, Italy, and Spain. A red noose lay around Berlin, and from there it came to Westphalia. Now the man's sword was naked, bands red as blood hung from its hilt and blood trickled from it on Westphalia...

"...The Jews shall return to Palestine, and become Christians toward the end of the world."